When We Kiss
by SorryImLate
Summary: Kakashi hated being part of a secret. Not because he couldn't keep them - because they caused him more trouble than they were worth. MizuIru KakaIru GenRai
1. Chapter 1

Intro

As he entered the mission room, Kakashi felt a familiar, burning stare hit him from every direction. The conversational murmuring had died down, replaced by a chest-tightening silence, as the attention of those in the room turned to the copy ninja. Kakashi tried to ignore the dirty looks crossing his way, reminding himself of his pride and dignity. He bit down gently on his tongue to keep himself from reacting, from rising to the bait, as he was convinced he had done nothing wrong.

Walking towards the long desk ahead of him, his eye subtly snapped around the room in search of a friendly face, but all he could see were eyes of disgust aimed at him. From the corner of his eye, he could see their heads turn as they followed his movements, followed by a long, awkward silence that had him struggling to contain his anger at the injustice.

He stopped at the desk, eye narrowing to see a dark haired chuunin glare up at him in annoyance.

"What." Izumo asked in an unusually blunt tone.

Kakashi's silver brow twitched in annoyance, but he composed himself again with a lazy, disinterested eye. "I'm here for a mission."

Izumo merely stared at him as though he was convinced the jounin was joking, that he would have the cheek to show himself in this building so suddenly. Kakashi mirrored the stare, refusing to let a mere chuunin intimidate him. He noticed how Izumo's confidence was surprisingly high around so many people who appeared to be on his side, unusually so, as it was quite rare for Kakashi to be challenged in such a way by a lower rank.

After a short moment, Izumo finally slipped his hand underneath the desk and shifted through the drawer for something. Finally finding it, he then slammed a briefly-detailed assignment that made Kakashi's stomach coil in anger, as he assumed this specific assignment had been saved in that drawer just for him.

_D rank – babysitting._

"Take it or leave it."

Kakashi's eye tightened into a small glare, as he forced away the temptation of shoving the assignment sheet down Izumo's throat and reminding the chuunin of his place. A flash of silver caught his eye, and he turned his head to see another chuunin sitting further along the desk, tanned hands fiddling nervously with a pen that had reflected from the lights. Iruka was looking _anywhere_ but Kakashi, his brown eyes seeming extremely uncomfortable; the only face that wasn't glaring at him in disgust.

Kakashi's glare tensed slightly and he stepped towards the man.

"Haven't you done enough?" Izumo snapped at him, stopping the jounin in his tracks.

Kakashi didn't know how to handle this situation, knowing that his usual method would only make things worse. Stealing one last glance of Iruka, who still refused to meet his eye, Kakashi then hesitantly turned and left the mission room. It had been a while since he'd felt the stomach-clenching feeling he was experiencing right now. Those glaring, accusing eyes had stiffened him in shock, and no matter how much he told himself it didn't bother him, it really did.

It was very rare for Kakashi to feel any affect towards the opinions others had on him, mostly because he wasn't close enough with anyone to truly care about their overall outlook on him. But this time, it was different. He felt guilty, but couldn't understand why. He felt angry, but couldn't do anything about it. He felt blamed for something he hadn't done.

"Kakashi-sensei…?" a soft, hesitant voice called out from behind, and he turned with a firm eye towards the chuunin.

When he didn't respond, but just stood there, staring, Iruka inhaled a sharp breath and stepped forward, closing the distance between them a little. He looked up at Kakashi again, the jounin's stiff eye still piercing into him expectantly, without a word.

"Thank you," Iruka whispered weakly, looking back to the floor. "For not telling."

Kakashi's brows knitted into a deep frown. "Why did you lie?" he hissed quietly, unable to hold back his anger any longer.

The cold tone sent a shiver along Iruka's spine. "I…" He met the man's eye, but quickly looked away again. "I was angry and upset… You led me on, and I-"

"_When?_" Kakashi snapped, genuinely wanting an answer. "At what point did I lead you on, Iruka?"

Iruka frowned slightly, feeling very small and… hurt. "A-All of those things you said to me… and the way you were touching me…"

Kakashi's eye squinted in disbelief. "I wouldn't call treating your broken ribs an invitation to _fuck_, Iruka. You turned up at my doorstep looking like shit because of your _prick_ of a boyfriend. Whatever I said to you was out of pity, nothing else."

Iruka forced back any tears threatening to rise, glaring weakly at the floor. "I'm sorry. I'll tell them it was a misunderstanding… that you didn't know about me and Mizuki."

"Why don't you tell them the _truth_?" Kakashi growled. "_You_ kissed _me_!"

"I-"

"Sort yourself out, Iruka." Kakashi sighed, glaring at the chuunin with a cold eye. "If you're not happy with Mizuki, then cut him out – but don't involve me in your twisted relationship. Next time he kicks you around, find someone else to clean up the mess."

Iruka winced at the jounin's words, tongue running along his inner teeth in search of something to say to make amends. With his thoughts now cleared from his mind, Kakashi then turned and walked away, having no interest in a response anyway.

Iruka stared into the empty corridor, feeling very numb and lost for words.

x—

Kakashi hated being part of a secret, not because he couldn't keep them, but because they caused him more trouble than they were worth.

When he'd first seen the Chuunin standing in his door way, it took a moment to recognize exactly who it was. His face was caked with blood, running from the nose, smeared across the lips and down his chin. He was drenched from the rain; his bare feet were stood in a large puddle that had him shivering from head to toe. His hair was knotted into clumps and his arm was supportively cradled over the area of his rib cage.

The first thing that came to the Jounin's head was _why him? _Why did Iruka choose to come to _him_? They hardly knew each other; they rarely spoke.

The question stopped mattering as soon as Iruka's eyes began to flood, and he let out a heavy sob, lowering his head in what looked like despair.

They sat in silence for a long twenty minutes in front of the warm fire, while Kakashi healed his broken ribs and cleaned his face. Iruka just stared at the floor with tired, empty eyes, lost in his thoughts.

Kakashi then asked the inevitable question on what had happened and Iruka cracked, spilling his guts over the secret years he and Mizuki had shared together.

Kakashi had never noticed; he'd never really cared enough to know how Iruka's love life was going, and no Shinobi strolled through the village without the odd cuts and bruises. Being the abrupt, honest person he was, he advised Iruka to end things with Mizuki, stating that he'd be better off without the man. When the Chuunin shook his head and admitted that Mizuki would never allow that, Kakashi justly offered to return the treatment on the Iruka's behalf. He did, after all, care about his comrade.

Iruka declined his offer, stating that it would just make things worse, and so the Jounin respected his wishes – it was none of his business.

He played his role to the best extent he could, telling Iruka that the offer would remain standing, that he was there if he needed him, and that he believed that Iruka was stronger than he thought he was. The look he received from the younger man was satisfying; a soft smile and a touched expression in his eyes.

Kakashi had helped him, he'd made a difference.

The next thing he knew his mask was gently tugged down and his lips were covered by Iruka's. Not expecting such an action from the vulnerable man, the Jounin made no attempts to stop his mask being removed, but as soon as he realized Iruka's intentions he turned his head away and cursed.

He'd obviously mislead Iruka somewhere between letting him inside and offering support, or maybe the Chuunin was just feeling too emotional for his judgement, but the rejection had been the straw that broke the camels back for Iruka and his hurt was replaced by anger. He mumbled a thank you for the healing and left the house without another word.

The next thing Kakashi knew, Iruka had told Mizuki that the Jounin came onto him and word had gotten round at the mission room.

Hatake Kakashi had tried to break up the 'happy couple'.


	2. Chapter 2

Opening the door of the mission room, Iruka stopped, letting it close behind him with a soft click.

Shift over.

He gazed down at the shiny, tiled floor of the corridor, feeling his stomach clench as the exchanged words span over and over in his mind, searching for a solution. To see the Copy Ninja look at him in such a way was one of the hardest things he'd ever had to face. He'd pushed away the one person who had supported him in more ways Iruka could even explain. Having to admit a dark secret that could jeopardize a lot always took courage, but Kakashi had promised not to say a word, and the Copy Ninja never went back on his word.

It felt nice; relieving, to just let go, to spill his guts with his darkest secrets and know that they'd never leave the four walls surrounding him.

Although he didn't know Kakashi that well, the attitude the Jounin carried towards the world had always given him that certain outlook. Hatake Kakashi was above childish gossip and silly fall-outs. He rarely lost his temper outside of his mission life, seeming to believe in the 'haven't got something nice to say, don't say anything at all' method of life. Iruka wondered if that was why Kakashi hadn't told everyone what _really_ happened, or if there was a part of the Copy Ninja that understood as clearly as he did, that the truth would be more harmful for Iruka.

Now that he'd slept, calmed down and thought over what he had done, Iruka was deeply ashamed of his actions.

The night had gone so fast and he struggled to remember exactly what happened; his adrenaline was pumped up high in a panicked state.

He'd had an argument with Mizuki over something trivial, something he couldn't even remember, that was gradually spiralled into something bigger. Iruka had always known Mizuki to have a jealous side; at first, Iruka loved it, it gave him the feeling of safety, the feeling of being wanted, needed. It was a misunderstood flaw that brought them closer together, because Iruka knew that he had someone to come home to who would always be there.

It was when Iruka became close to Naruto that he realized that Mizuki's jealousy was becoming a problem; Naruto wasn't a grown adult and potential threat, he was a child who Iruka saw his younger self in, a child who needed to feel wanted and loved, the way Iruka did before Mizuki. The Chuunin often lied about his meetings with the blonde to avoid arguments, claiming he was doing over-time in the mission room. Little did he know, that Mizuki had made the effort to search for him there. As much as he loved Mizuki, Iruka refused to distance himself from Naruto, and the feeling of losing control made Mizuki's blood boil, the control he had to make Iruka believe that he only needed Mizuki in his life.

When Naruto was brought into the argument, Iruka defended himself, as always. Mizuki hated that. Hated Naruto being a higher priority in Iruka's life than he was. The jealousy was the build up of rejection and hurt, spiralling into frustration of why Iruka would fight to the ends of the earth for that child who was the reason for Iruka's miserable childhood. Naruto took Iruka's parents away, Naruto made Iruka hurt – Mizuki made Iruka better.

Frustration turned into temper and Mizuki reacted in his usual way when he couldn't have something the way he wanted it. He panted with clenched fists as he watched the brunette shrivelled at his feet, trying to stifle his cries.

"Get out of my sight."

Mizuki never meant those words for long, but that was Iruka's cue to get away from his lover before something worse happened. He knew that Mizuki didn't mean to hurt him, and so his lover was warning him to get away, let him calm down for a bit, and then everything would be alright again.

Iruka shakily brought himself to his feet, holding his broken rib in place and limped towards the door as fast as he could.

He staggered through the village in search of somewhere to go, his usual hiding place taken over under the bridge by young teenagers camping out. He thought frantically for somewhere dry, warm, and somewhere _safe_.

Before he realized it, he found himself standing at a long, dark door, his scraped knuckles tapping gently on the door.

The door opened and he found himself staring up at the Copy Ninja, who stared back at him with a wide, visible eye. The concern was readable and Iruka felt a sudden weight lifted from his shoulders, his tight chest loosening. The relief washed out and he let out a sob that he could no longer hold.

The Jounin didn't say a word, but gently took hold of his arm and pulled him inside, out of the rain. He placed a warm, thick blanket down on the floor and sat the Chuunin down, then turned on the fire to warm the house up.

As Kakashi began to treat him, Iruka found himself relaxing against his touches, reminded why he had chosen to come here. If there was one word for Hatake Kakashi, it was _safe. _He was respected by so many people for his loyalty and the safety he brought to the village. He sacrificed his life every day for the sake of his comrades and the village citizens, wanting nothing in return but another mission assignment the next day. Kakashi was a rare beauty that, without even knowing it, could make the weakest of people feel as big as a mountain, by merely being in his presence, and Iruka knew that the moment he stepped out of the Jounin's house, that strong, safe feeling would disappear again.

He wondered if Kakashi had any weaknesses, if he was afraid of anything, and if he was, how did he hide it so well?

Hearing the Jounin question him on what had happened, Iruka didn't hesitate to tell him. Kakashi let him talk for as long as he wanted, let him cry for as long as he needed to. He listened until the Chuunin was finished, and then told him exactly what Iruka had needed to hear.

Kakashi would be there for him, whenever he needed him. The words flooded a sense of security through him, knowing that the next time he needed to hide, the Jounin's door would open, and that strong hand would pull him into the warm, safe environment.

Iruka was strong, Kakashi said so himself, and so the Chuunin believed him.

He didn't want to leave this house, wanting to stay in the warm, protected environment. He didn't want to return to Mizuki's arms and hear his familiar apology. He glanced up to that visible eye that crinkled slightly in an affectionate, caring smile, and found himself smiling back.

And then he pulled down that mask and closed his eyes, placing his mouth against those warm, soft lips.

His heartbeat paused when the Jounin turned his head away and whispered a curse. Iruka stared up at him blankly, the warmth suddenly vanishing from his body, replaced with a different kind of cold that he felt around Mizuki. The safety lock snapped in two and he felt the panic rise within him, fearing Mizuki finding out that he'd told someone about their argument, that he'd kissed another pair of lips that didn't belong to his lover.

He mumbled a quick thank you and left the house, his bare feet slapping back into the cold puddles as he ran as fast as he could.

Mizuki couldn't find out about what he had done.

Mizuki couldn't know that he'd told Kakashi about their relationship.

It was Iruka's word against Kakashi's, and Iruka would get there first.

x—

He walked down the corridor and opened the next door, leaving the mission room building. Stepping out into the village he took a small glance around, his brown eyes gazing into the distance that lead the way to Kakashi's home. He sighed and turned, walking in the opposite direction.

He wished he could go back and erase what had happened. He wished he hadn't told Mizuki anything, but one lie had caught him in another, and he couldn't find a way out of it without shifting the blame to save his own skin.

Strong?

He smirked in sarcasm. He was no where near as strong as Kakashi, both physically and mentally. Although the entire group of close comrades now hated the Jounin's guts for 'trying to split them up', Kakashi still hadn't breathed a word of the truth, letting the others believe what they want.

Now that he was thinking clearly, Iruka knew that Kakashi wouldn't have said anything in the first place, but the night of the argument had him in a hysterical state that just wanted his troubles to disappear, but he had only made them worse.

He walked down a small pathway and stopped, gazing up at the building before him. He inhaled deeply and walked towards it, clicking open the door. He could feel the familiar chakra signature in the other room. He could smell the strong scent of tobacco travelling through the air. He toed off his sandals and closed the door behind him, and stepped into the room.

Mizuki glanced up at him from the sofa, tapping the end of his cigarette against the ash tray resting on the arm of the chair.

"Hey." he raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

Iruka shook his head softly. "Nothing, it's just been a long day."

Mizuki frowned. "Has he been bothering you again?"

Iruka's chest tightened.

"No. I haven't seen him." he whispered, his brown eyes narrowing when his lover patted the patch of sofa beside him. He nodded and took a seat, moving with the long arm that pulled him into his lover's side.

"If he tries anything again, you tell me." Mizuki murmured coldly and Iruka nodded, resting his head against his lover's chest where his lover ran his fingers through the chocolate locks. Although Kakashi outranked Mizuki, the Chuunin could create a sharp web of lies in a heart beat, using the people around him to do his dirty work for him. "Why were you with him in the first place?" Iruka winced at the suspicious tone.

"I already told you what happened," he whispered with a small sigh, stalling so he could re-track his memory on the story he'd told. "He saw that I was injured and asked if I was alright."

"And what did you say?"

Iruka bit the inside of his cheek; they'd already had this conversation. "I said I was fine but he insisted on helping."

"And… you didn't tell him anything?" The stroking of his hair abruptly stopped. The brunette tensed slightly.

"No." Iruka whispered, and the massage continued.

"Good." Mizuki murmured. "Because our relationship is no one else's business, is it?"

"No."

"Just yours and mine."

"Yeah."

A pale hand cupped Iruka's cheek and gently lifted his head. The brunette glanced up at those tightened green eyes and pale lips that curved into a smirk.

"Give me a kiss." Mizuki whispered. Iruka rested a hand on his lover's knee and shifted. He leaned in and gently placed his lips against Mizuki's, tongue running along the chapped skin before plunging into his mouth, tasting the strong flavour of tobacco. Their tongues twisted and rubbed together before Mizuki broke the kiss, planting one last peck on Iruka's lips. "Tell me you love me."

Iruka pressed his lips against Mizuki's once more before he whispered in his ear; "I love you."

x—

Kakashi leaned back against the sofa in the Jounin lounge, his visible eye glued to the current page of his infamous orange book. The room was empty, though the Jounin guessed that wasn't just coincidence. Few had strolled in, noticed him and quickly exited once more with a small frown. Kakashi turned the page, trying not to let it bother him, but it did.

It was the fact that he hadn't done anything wrong that bothered him so much, and the fact that he couldn't do anything about that pissed him off even more. Although Iruka's lie had been somewhat… cruel, after seeing the way Mizuki treated the Chuunin made Kakashi reluctant to insist on his innocence. Liar or not, Iruka didn't deserve the beating he would get if Mizuki found out what really happened.

He felt the chakra signature before a certain comrade stepped into the room, glancing around in surprise at the lack of Jounin before his eyes met Kakashi's. He rolled his senbon between his teeth and offered a gentle nod in greeting. "Hey." Genma lifted his hand in a small wave.

"Yo." Kakashi murmured, watching carefully as the Special Jounin stepped into the room and took a seat opposite him on the sofa. He stretched with a small yawn and slouched back against the furniture in a lazy manner.

"Man, I'm beat." he sighed.

"Long day?" Kakashi asked in a casual tone, though inwardly he couldn't help but feel relieved to have _someone_ talking to him again.

"I've just got back from a B rank, got a bit messy," he winced. "Can't wait to get home and sleep."

"Doesn't sound like a bad idea." Kakashi murmured, averting his eye back to his book. A short silence surrounded them.

"…Heard about your little smooch-fest with Iruka-sensei," Genma grinned, but frowned when he received a glare. "Hey," He held up his hands in defence. "I'm not complaining. Mizuki's a dick, 'bout time someone showed Iruka the light."

"Still the talk of the day then, is it?" Kakashi sighed.

Genma shrugged. "Ah, it'll be tomorrow's fish and chip paper,"

"What?" Kakashi's eyebrow rose.

"I dunno, one of my client's said it, thought it sounded appropriate." Genma smirked. "It means by tomorrow it'll be forgotten about."

"Ah," Kakashi blinked, and glanced back to his book. Genma glanced around the room awkwardly as he munched on his senbon.

"Want to get some sake with me?" The senbon user suddenly asked, tilting his head slightly. Kakashi glanced back to him questioningly. "I'm on a recovery break, but sake's always been the best medicine," he smirked. "You look like you could do with some too…"

x—

"You've _got_ to be kidding me," Izumo muttered under his breath. Kotetsu's eyebrow rose and he glanced over to the entrance door.

Mizuki's green eyes followed carefully as the two Jounins entered the restaurant. He slipped his hand under the table and grabbed hold of Iruka's, entwining their fingers together.

Iruka's chest tightened as he watched Kakashi and Genma approached the main bar.

"Let's go somewhere else," he whispered to his lover, who tightened his grip slightly in their linked fingers.

"No." Mizuki murmured darkly. "Jounin or not, he doesn't scare me. And anyway, we were here first."

"What the hell is _Genma_ doing with him?" Izumo whispered.

Iruka stared at the two warily, feeling his stomach tense with nerves. He could hear Genma's usual loud voice from their table, Kakashi just nodding along before they were served. Once they'd ordered, they turned to find a table, but the Copy Ninja paused when he caught Iruka's eye.

_Great._ Kakashi sighed, his visible eye sliding towards the white haired Chuunin beside Iruka. His green eyes were glaring at him in a challenging manner, before a dark smirk curved on his lips and he turned towards Iruka, whispering something in his ear. Iruka's eyes widened for a split second before he leaned in and pressed his lips against Mizuki's, tongue plunging into his mouth once more. Mizuki's green eye looked back to Kakashi as he kissed the Chuunin, his tongue twisting and rubbing against his lovers.

Kakashi's visible eye tightened into a glare, repulsed at Iruka's lack of dignity, effortless submission. He let out a deep sigh and slipped his Icha Icha from his pocket, opening it to his current page and letting his eye fall there, before he turned and followed Genma to the table, wondering why he felt the need to defend himself in the first place.

Mizuki broke the kiss once the Jounin walked away, a flushed Iruka lowering his eyes to the table with a sickening feeling.

x—

"You still thinking about Iruka?" Genma tilted his head.

Kakashi sighed and blinked up at him tiredly.

"I'm sure there are others out there like him… you just need to find them,"

He took a sip of his sake, deciding to ignore the statement. It was almost amusing that he was involved in this tug of love over someone he didn't even want.

"I'm going to take a piss." he murmured as he stood up and left a confused Genma blinking at him.

Iruka leaned his head back against the back of the sofa, watching Mizuki light his cigarette in the corner of his eye. His brown eyes glanced over to the main bar as the silver haired Jounin walked by; hands in his pockets, shoulders slouched in a lazy manner, seeming to have not a care in the world. He stole a glance of Mizuki, whose attention was distracted by Izumo and Kotetsu's mission story.

"Mizu… I'm going to the bathroom," He whispered and stood up. His stomach tightened as he approached the bathroom door, and slowly opened it.

"What the f-" Kakashi frowned and turned slightly against the urinal, his back to the door.

"Sorry…" Iruka mumbled, letting the door click behind him. "I just… I really need to talk to you."

"What about?" Kakashi murmured, quickly zipping up before he turned to face the Chuunin. Iruka swallowed, uncomfortable with the hard gaze he received from the older man.

"I know I have no right to ask, but I need to know… if you're planning on telling anyone…?" Iruka's eyes lifted back to Kakashi's gaze, a pleading look hinted there. Kakashi sighed and buried his hands into his pockets, averting his eye.

"No, I'm not."

"You're not?" Iruka frowned. "Why?"

Kakashi's lips parted to speak, but he closed his mouth when the bathroom door suddenly and unexpectedly opened.

Iruka's stomach dropped to the floor when Mizuki stepped in from the doorway, offering Kakashi a glare, before he turned to Iruka.

"What's going on?"

"N-nothing." Iruka stuttered, turning pale.

"Get your things, Iruka. We're leaving." Mizuki demanded.

Iruka nodded and slipped past him through the door way, stealing a small, pleading glance of Kakashi before he turned walked back to the table.

Kakashi turned his gaze back to Mizuki, a disinterested, bored look in his eye.

"Wipe your arse too, does he?" he murmured.

Mizuki's glare deepened.

"I'd go careful if I were you. You_ really_ don't know who you're dealing with." The Chuunin's voice was cold, and very serious.

"…Well please excuse me while I shit myself," Kakashi smirked.

If looks could kill, Kakashi would be a dead man. Mizuki gritted his teeth in anger, his eyes pierced coldly into that visible eye. He turned and slammed the door behind him, leaving the Jounin stood alone in the bathroom.

Kakashi took a small breath, and turned to the sink. He slipped off his gloves and washed his hands, wondering exactly how the situation had managed to get ten times worse.

And he hadn't even done anything.

_Get your things Iruka. We're leaving._

Kakashi sighed.

Iruka was in trouble.


	3. Chapter 3

Warnings; Violence and bullying.

The strong, pale hand tugged at his, their fingers tightly entwined together. Their footsteps echoed around them as they walked, surrounded by a breathless silence. Iruka stole several glances of his lover, watching his face carefully for any sign of emotion that could tell him what Mizuki was thinking, but the pale Chuunin just stared straight ahead, lips curved loosely around a cigarette. He had a bad feeling that had found him in the bathroom of the restaurant and was now following him home. He waited patiently for his lover to speak, to tell him what was wrong, though Iruka had a feeling he already knew.

"Are you alright?" he finally asked, no longer able to stand the silence.

Mizuki nodded and inhaled from the white stick, blowing out the grey cloud of smoke. "I'm fine." His green eyes glanced down to Iruka. "Why do you ask?"

Iruka inwardly winced. "You seem a bit quiet, that's all…" He averted his eyes back to the pathway, waiting for some kind of reply, but received none.

As they approached the familiar pathway Iruka's anxiety grew. His brown eyes stared up at the white front door ahead of him that blocked him and Mizuki away from the world. He stole another glance of his lover with a daring attempt to see what was written behind those green eyes that could give him at least a clue on what Mizuki was planning. There was no way Mizuki would simply drop what had just happened in the bathroom and the more Iruka anticipated the inevitable confrontation, the more nervous he became.

"You go ahead. I'm going to finish this." Mizuki he tapped the end of his cigarette, letting the ash fall onto the grass just outside.

Iruka nodded and unlocked the door, leaving it open for his lover to come in when he was done.

He stepped into the living room and sat down on the sofa, staring into space as he listened carefully to the noises outside. He heard Mizuki's footsteps approach the door and the soles of the sandals click against the wooden floor of the hall way. The door closed behind him and Iruka flinched, slowly glancing up to the hallway entrance where his lover had entered. Mizuki fingered his cigarette packet before he shuffled it into his pocket. He slipped off his jacket and chucked it on the arm of the sofa, before glancing to Iruka.

The brunette smiled weakly, his fingers clutching into the leather material of the sofa on either side of his thighs. "Do you want some tea?"

Mizuki didn't answer, but just stared at him. Iruka's smile faded, expecting the confrontation. "What happened before I came in?" his lover finally asked, using a deep, blunt tone that had become familiar inside these four walls.

"Nothing." Iruka answered confidently, though his stomach muscles were tensing almost in instinct. "I swear, nothing happened. We just happened to pass each other."

The fact that he was lying made the situation even worse, as Iruka had to quickly think back on each lie he had told, to not be caught out when trying to return to them.

From the look in those green eyes, it was evident that Mizuki didn't believe him - not after the first lie Iruka had told anyway, that the Copy Ninja had tried it on with him before; why would Kakashi suddenly act as though nothing happened?

Iruka's mind spun frantically for a story to explain _why_.

That they'd had a talk and sorted it out?

That Kakashi had moved on and found someone else?

He couldn't believe his own stupidity. He had created a twisted lie in order to get revenge on Kakashi for not being the 'rock' he needed, but it had only gotten him into more trouble than he'd started with.

"I'll ask you one more time." Mizuki hissed under his breath warningly, watching as the brunette's eyes widened, recognizing the tone. "_What happened?_"

"I swear, Mizu…" Iruka suddenly stood up, opening out his arms as though he were revealing the empty blame. "Nothing happened, we just passed each other… you came in right when I was about to leave-" He suddenly felt himself slammed against the wall with a pale hand wrapped tightly around his neck.

"DON'T lie to me!" Mizuki growled, receiving a small whimper from the tense, trembling brunette. "You followed him as soon as he went inside. I _saw_ you do it."

"I didn't know!" Iruka cried, and whimpered again as the back of his lover's hand slapped across his face, the rough knuckle splitting open his tender lip. The silver haired Chuunin threw him across the floor with a small amount of chakra and merely watched as his clumsy lover crashed into the side table, sending the four legs tipping over him. An expensive lamp fell from the table and fell to his side, the wire stretched and loosely trapping the Chuunin.

Before he could untangle himself he felt a harsh amount of chakra from his lover's foot kick him repeatedly, the older Chuunin merely letting out his anger, jealousy and hurt. Iruka buried his face into the floor as he took each blow he truly deserved, allowing his lover to set off the tears that would make him sooner satisfied. He could hear small bones click and crack with each skilful hit, and he let out a scream from the pain, fear, and from the knowledge that once Mizuki thought he'd gone too far, he'd soon stop.

Unfortunately, this wasn't just any argument, and deep down the brunette knew it. In Mizuki's eyes he'd been unfaithful, and again, Iruka knew he had. Mizuki loved him, and the thought of losing Iruka to someone else, _especially_ someone of higher rank, out of his own league, had hurt him enough to lose control.

"Does he like it when you follow him around like that?" Mizuki growled in his ear, the jealousy shown in his glaring eyes. "Like a _dog?_"

He felt a strong hand clutch onto the back of his collar and give him a harsh tug.

"Get up!" his lover hissed and Iruka hastily crawled out from under the long wire, hearing the table fall completely in front of him with a small crash. He stilled when he heard the small clink of metal and looked up to see his lover unbuckle his belt, his eyes widening in fear of his lover's intentions with the unprepared Chuunin.

With a firm pull, Mizuki jerked the long, black leather from his bottoms and Iruka felt his second fear approach, and he instinctively lowered his head to shrink away from the whip, but a pale hand grabbed hold of his hair and yanked his head back, looping the belt around his neck and pulling harshly at the end to tighten the now slip-knot belt. Iruka let out a small choke from the sudden movement, feeling the thick, rough leather almost crush his voice box. The fear of his last theory washed through him and he let out a pathetic, real cry. There was no reasoning with Mizuki when he was like this; there were no limits to how far his lover would go to _show_ Iruka how he'd made Mizuki feel. Temper dominated the older man's thoughts every time, making him mentally unable to realise when he was going too far.

"Please, Mizu…" he croaked out in a shaky voice, stealing frantic, searching glances of the ceiling. "I love you so much! I'll never leave you for anyone!"

"Shut up!" Mizuki growled and jerked the belt tighter, releasing a strangled cry from the younger man. "Come on now, _doggy_, let's go for a walk!"

"No!" Iruka screamed, slapping a hand onto the length of the belt to stop the pulling on the tight loop around his neck.

"What's wrong?" Mizuki laughed bitterly. "I thought you liked this!" He pulled the belt again with a strong tug, dragging the brunette across the floor on his knees.

Iruka slapped his hands onto the floor to take the weight off of his neck, knowing he had little safe choice but to follow.

He _crawled_, crying out pleading blubbers and ignored promises. His face was soaked in tears, mixed with small lines of dripping blood that spread across his cheek, lips and chin. Mizuki 'walked' him into the kitchen, and nudged him roughly into the corner with his foot.

"Lie down, _there's a good doggy_."

Iruka complied, sobbing his heart out in relief that his lover hadn't planned what he'd had in mind. He pressed his chest against the cold floor, listening distantly as Mizuki collected a small bowl from the cupboard and turned the tap on.

"Let's get you some water so you don't go thirsty, yeah?"

Mizuki's eyes smiled, but Iruka could see the anger that remained behind them. He let out another whimper when he felt the bowl fall onto his head with a thud, and hit the floor with a smash. The water soaked his face and hair, sending a small shiver down his back. His lover crouched down beside him and he could only lie there stiff as a board, trying, and failing to stifle his cry.

"From now on, that's your bed." Mizuki murmured coldly, his green eyes pierced into brown, soggy orbs. He placed a pale hand onto the younger man's head, threading his fingers softly through the wet, chocolate locks.

Iruka watched him warily with hurt, watering eyes, like a scolded puppy. The older man then stood, abruptly turned, and left the kitchen.

Iruka didn't protest; he couldn't have been more relieved to see his lover leave the room. He placed a shaking hand over the sore muscles on his stomach, keeping his cries quiet into small sniffles. He could hear Mizuki in the other room and the brunette knew he had at least two hours before the older man would go upstairs to bed. He shifted slightly into a more comfortable position, not daring to get up off the floor. All he could think about was Mizuki going to bed; he needed to leave, he needed to get out of here and find somewhere safe. He let out a small, whispered whimper, praying to whoever was watching over him that the teens had left the bridge by now.

After a long, painful two hours Mizuki finally left the living room and went upstairs, too upset with Iruka to say goodnight. The brunette lay quiet as he listened to the ceiling creak quietly with his lover's movements, before it stopped; he'd gone to bed. He waited another fifteen minutes before he slowly pulled himself to his feet, grasping onto the worktop for balance. He lifted his head slightly and winced as he unbuckled the belt from his neck, and gently placed it down on the worktop. His throat throbbed painfully, sending a sharp jolt down his neck every time he swallowed. He took each step at a time, careful not to make any noise, or damage any of his already broken bones. As he turned the corner of the kitchen and stepped into the living room he noticed the table still sat on its side, the lamp shade dented from the harsh hit. He glanced over to the clock on the mantelpiece, relieved at the time; 12am – hardly anyone would be around.

He stole a cautious glance of the stairs before he made his way into the hallway, unlocked the door and carefully slowly it open. Stepping out onto the cold slab he took a hesitant glance of his sandals and quickly snatched them. He quietly closed the door behind him and ran, before Mizuki had time to come downstairs.

He held his stomach with one hand, sandals grasped tightly in the other as he ran through the village. The cold air against his dry face was refreshing, and as he ran along the narrow road he felt his previous locked up adrenaline rush through him. There were no consequences for feeling angry right now; Mizuki couldn't see his anger, he couldn't challenge it with his own. The anger let the new tears fall down his face; that was the first time Mizuki had managed to bring out so much fear in him, and for a moment, Iruka really thought his lover was going to kill him.

He knew he deserved it; he had kissed another pair of lips that didn't belong to his lover, and what made it worse was that he had enjoyed it.

He soon stopped, feeling the cold grass soothing the bottom of his feet. His tired eyes gazed over to the bridge in the distance, his shoulders subconsciously shrinking in relief when he found no light, no voices, no sign of anyone. He slowly walked down there, listening to the shallow water under the bridge trickle across the long canal. He crouched slightly as he stepped under the bridge, and sat down on the floor.

He inhaled deeply, taking in the fresh air, the out door smell, the feeling of '_safe_.' He lowered himself down into a laying position and closed his eyes, listening to the soothing water that washed past him through the light breeze.

The sudden sound of footsteps snapped his eyes open and he pulled himself up into a sitting position. His eyes widened as two blue sandals and navy bottoms stepped down the small slope. Iruka felt himself panic inside; Mizuki couldn't find his hiding place!

A green flak jacket came into view as the figure came closer; the pockets bulged with two fists. There was a small pause, before the figure crouched, and Iruka's eyes widened as a flash of silver came into view, a single, meaningful eye gazing at him.

After a small moment of awkward silence, Kakashi hunched slightly to step under the bridge, and he sat himself down opposite the Chuunin.

Iruka blinked at him with wide eyes, his thoughts flooded with questions, but the only thing that came out was a small sob.

"I'm so sorry!" he cried out in the same broken voice that Kakashi recognized the other night.

His eyebrow narrowed slightly in concern, and he lifted his hands from his pockets to pull the Chuunin into a tight hug. "Shhh…" he whispered, but his comfort only gave Iruka more reassurance to cry into the man's shoulder.

After a silent couple of minutes Iruka's cry began to weaken into a small sniffle. Kakashi let him hold the embrace as long as he needed to, his visible eye gazing distantly at the soft ripples that swam along the canal. After another couple of minutes Iruka slowly pulled away to wipe his face. Kakashi glanced down to the red, angry strip that laced around the Chuunin's neck, his eyes tightening into a small glare. He extended a gloved hand and curled his fingers around Iruka's wrist, giving it a gentle tug as he pulled himself to his feet.

With a hesitant gaze, Iruka shook his head and pulled his hand away. "He'll find out." he whispered, the thought of it sending a small shiver up his spine.

"You're not sleeping here," Kakashi's murmured sternly, but rose a pleading brow. "Trust me?"

It didn't take much persuasion; just being in Kakashi's presence aroused the little strength inside of him that was begging to break through. As long as he was with Kakashi he was safe, and he couldn't deny that right now the worst thing he could think of was being alone. He couldn't go to Izumo's or Kotetsu's, they were solidly loyal to Mizuki, the superior of the 'group'. The two comrades knew of Mizuki's strong character, but they didn't know the real Mizuki. He could only imagine what his lover would do if he found out Iruka had turned his two friends against him.

He took Kakashi's arm and pulled himself to his feet, wincing slightly at the sudden pain that shot through him. His adrenaline had faded and so the real pain was starting to kick in. He felt a strong arm slid around his back to lend the weight and he gladly accepted the offer and leaned against the Jounin as they stepped out of the narrow pathway under the bridge.

As they entered the main road of the village, Iruka began to feel nervous; he wasn't sure if Mizuki would come down in the middle of the night to apologise, only to find that his lover wasn't there. He didn't even want to think of what would happen if Mizuki went searching, and found him with the infamous Copy Ninja.

But it seemed Kakashi sensed his concerns and so he led Iruka through the back of the alley ways towards his home. When the older man opened the door Iruka was surprised to see that Kakashi hadn't even bothered to lock up before leaving his home. He stepped into the room with Kakashi's help and placed his forgotten sandals down in the corner. He glanced over to the room and his eyebrow rose in confusion.

The fire was lit brightly, heating up the room to a comfortable temperature. There was a thick blanket spread out in front of it with various bottles, bandages and face wipes sat beside it. He glanced over to Kakashi, who watched him knowingly.

"Why?" Iruka whispered in a small voice. "Why are you being nice to me?"

"I'm not going to just ditch you," Kakashi answered honestly. "I'm involved now."

Iruka's eyes fell to the floor, knowing whose fault that was. He felt a pale hand touch his arm reassuringly.

"Go and sit down."

He turned and stepped into the living room and then slowly crouched down to sit on the blanket. His body felt so sore and with every movement he made he felt something click and throb. He finally sat with a small sigh, feeling the soothing heat from the fire against his cold, bruised skin. Kakashi sat down beside him in the same position as before and studied Iruka with his eye.

"Could you take your shirt off and lie down for me?" he asked softly.

With a small nod, Iruka carefully tugged off his navy sweater and placed it on the floor beside him. He then slowly shifted into a lying position on his back, gazing up at that squinted eye that studied his stomach intently.

There was another rib broken, the small, fragile bone popping out into the skin slightly. The rest of his stomach had turned into a light yellow-green colour, the early sign of a deep bruise rising. One of Iruka's fingers on his left hand had snapped out of place, and of course, there was that deep red mark wrapped around the man's neck. Kakashi's eye tightened in frustration.

"Why do you let him do it, Iruka?" he sighed deeply, keeping a firm eye on the younger man, eager for an answer.

Iruka looked away in hurt.

"He's a little weed, just hit him back! I _know_ you're capable of it – You're a Chuunin for Kami's sake."

Iruka didn't speak, almost expecting the man's words. Kakashi sighed again and glanced away, realising he was going to have to be a little gentler. "Does he frighten you?" he asked, this time, in a soft, genuine tone.

"Yes." Iruka whispered in a cracked voice.

"Why?" Kakashi frowned, already smelling the salty tears threatening to release.

"The way he looks at me when I've done something wrong…" Iruka whispered with a small shiver. "His eyes… it's like they're looking straight into me… they can see that I'm scared."

"But _why _are you scared?" Kakashi sighed. "Is he stronger than you?"

"He always has been."

"I don't think he is," Kakashi murmured, eyeing the Chuunin intently. "I think he likes you to think he is."

"You don't know what he's like," Iruka sighed and closed his eyes. "You wouldn't understand."

"I do understand, Iruka," Kakashi's eyebrow rose sternly. "It's _you_ who doesn't understand. It's called the power game; he may stroll around with his scary eyes and his silly threats but it's the confidence behind it that makes others fear people like him. Why do you think he's reluctant to fight me for what happened? Because he _knows_ I'm not scared of him."

"It's because you're a Jounin." Iruka sighed and rolled his eyes, but they opened again with a frown when the Jounin laughed.

"Strength isn't everything, Iruka. It's not always about your muscles and mind – it's about what's in your soul and spirit too. If you believe in yourself enough, you become superior to him in the power game." Kakashi nodded. "It's how every bully works."

Iruka nodded softly, listening carefully to the Jounin's words. A bully. He'd never thought of it that way, but it was true; Mizuki was a bully. He controlled and frightened people into defeat, manipulating them into thinking that they were smaller than him. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips, the familiar warm feeling rising in his stomach again. It was a feeling he only found around Kakashi; the Jounin made him feel so strong.

Kakashi watched him carefully, relieved that the Chuunin was taking in his words. "Let's get you cleaned up, ne?" He offered the younger man a soft smile that hinted through his eye, and began. Kakashi wasn't a healer; he wasn't anywhere near as skilled as a professional medical ninja, but he had his own method; it was an old fashioned technique that his old, female team mate had taught him, though as generations went on, the technique had become only mentioned in history books because more reliable, faster healing methods had been discovered, but the Jounin had always found this one to be his favourite.

A pale hand hovered over the tanned skin of the man's rib cage and he manipulated his green glowing chakra. Kakashi lifted his headband and studied carefully with his Sharingan. Iruka winced slightly as he felt the fine bone shift back into place. The internal wounds from the sudden bone split were knitted back together after the Jounin had used his chakra to drain any leaking blood. He copied the same method on the man's broken finger, shifting it back into place. The process took up to ten minutes before Kakashi moved onto the bruises, checking over for any serious damage, but it looked like they would heal nicely in time. He added chakra to them anyway to speed the process a little, wanting to give Iruka as much movement as possible without causing any pain.

Next, the angry mark wrapped around the Chuunin's throat. Kakashi paused for a moment; his eye squinted again in deep thought. Finally, he decided to ask. "What happened to your neck?"

He saw Iruka grimace at the question and look away uncomfortably. Kakashi's eyebrow rose, understanding that the Chuunin didn't want to say. "Looks like he tied something around there…" he offered, helping the man out.

Iruka let out a deep, irritated sigh, not wanting to confide to the Jounin something so humiliating. "Yes, he did." he said bluntly.

"Alright," Kakashi shrugged lightly, recognizing the tone. "I can take a hint. So what will you do now?" His eyebrow rose questioningly, as he began using his chakra to sooth the bruising on the man's neck

Iruka lifted his head back and sighed again, unsure on what to say – he didn't know what to do. "Maybe if I stayed away for a couple of days he'll realise what he's done and change."

Kakashi rolled his eye, feeling a stab of frustration at the Chuunin. "And how many times have you told yourself that?"

Iruka smirked bitterly. "I don't know."

"Then _leave him_." Kakashi murmured darkly.

Iruka looked away. "I can't."

Kakashi averted his eyes to suppress his frustration. He knew there was no way Iruka would budge on his own accord, especially when he had Mizuki and his followers against him alone. He needed to do something, to make the Chuunin feel strong enough to go through with it, and have someone to stand by him, protect him.

"Tell him you've found someone else."

"No!" Iruka's eyes widened and he sat up straight. "He'd kill me!"

"No he won't," Kakashi murmured with a piercing eye. "Not if it's me you're seeing."

Iruka blinked widely, surprised and confused at the Jounin's words. Was Kakashi saying they could have a relationship? "Do you mean…?"

"Only to the public's eye," Kakashi explained. "We'll go round there tomorrow _together_ and tell him, then we'll pack your things and move you into here."

Despite the loyalty Kakashi was giving him, Iruka felt his heart sink. "But what about Izumo and Kotetsu?" he mumbled, trying to stay on track.

"Fuck them. You'll find better friends, and if they start trouble I'll hand it back to them."

Iruka thought the idea through, his eyes watering slightly. "I'm scared…"

"You don't have to be," Kakashi sighed. "If you don't want to do this then don't, but if you really want to be rid of him then here's your chance."

Iruka looked down at the floor with a frown, thinking deeply. To be free of Mizuki, to stay in this safe environment, _every night_, to be in Kakashi's company…

"Alright." he whispered. "I'll do it."


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you so much _Althea17 _for being my beta ^^

x— Fanfiction . net/u/244391/Althea17

x— althea17 . livejournal . com/

x—

Chapter 4

Kakashi let out a small yawn as he quietly made his way down the stairs. He glanced over to the long strands of chocolate hair that sprayed out from the top of the navy duvet, the Chuunin's face buried inside the soft material. The Jounin tip-toed around the futon, not wanting to wake the man just yet. He knew that Iruka was going to have an extremely difficult day, so he wanted to make sure the younger man got as much sleep as he needed.

He stepped into the kitchen and slid two cups from the cabinet, leaving one on the counter for the Chuunin while he saw to his own cup of morning tea. He slid the door closed to block out the sound of the boiling kettle, his mind already working on how exactly today was going to be planned. From what he knew of Mizuki, the man had a reputation for stooping as low as possible to assure that he was not defeated, meaning that the man was not going to let things go as smoothly as both Kakashi and Iruka hoped for. If the circumstances were different, the Jounin would simply resort to giving Mizuki a harsh beating as his first warning, but there was one problem.

Mizuki also had a reputation for his 'gang of loyalty." Kakashi never understood how so many people were so easily blinded by him; that they seemed to truly believe that the sun shined out of the man's arse. The Jounin had often heard various small stories, mainly from Genma, who wasn't at all afraid to let the whole village know how he felt about Mizuki. The two never clicked. Mizuki liked to be the best, the toughest, the cleverest, the alpha male – so did Genma.

Mizuki was the 'leader' of his close group of Chuunin friends while Genma was the 'leader' of his close group of Jounin friends. The difference between the two of them was that while Mizuki skilfully used his lies to turn one person against another for his own benefit, Genma had seen and experienced enough in his life to learn that life is too short and precious for trivial turf wars. That was why he didn't resent Kakashi when everyone else had. He finished his shifts and joined his comrades for a bottle of sake or two. He lived his life to the fullest, cracking out immature jokes at the most awkward times. But when it came to serious missions and dangerous situations, he was a wise and reliable Shinobi. That was why he respected Genma. But that only made Genma a threat to Mizuki, and the two men had been ongoing rivals for some time, which was mostly one-sided on Mizuki's behalf.

From Kakashi's memory, the two had only shared one confrontation, and that was on the night of Gekko Hayate's death. Genma and Hayate had shared many missions together, becoming good friends over the years. So when news arrived that his comrade had been killed, Genma was understandably very upset. The group of Jounins, including Kakashi, pulled together and celebrated their fallen comrade's memory with a bottle of sake; the way Genma knew Hayate would have wanted it. Unfortunately, Mizuki and his own group had been drinking at the same restaurant, and the loud-mouthed 'leader' began ranting over his beliefs on how the foolish ninja going into battle when he was sick had served him right for his own death.

As expected, the grieving Genma didn't take lightly to the statement, and a hard punch into the Chuunin's face was rewarded with strict warning from the Hokage for his inappropriate, yet understandable actions. Thus, Genma wisely avoided Mizuki for his own benefit.

Pooling his mask around his neck, Kakashi took a sip of his tea to wake himself up. He nudged the door open slightly and glanced over to the still sleeping Chuunin.

Kakashi sighed in pity; he looked exhausted. He guessed the younger man hadn't had much sleep last night, which was understandable considering the day that was coming afterwards. He quietly stepped into the room and took a seat on the sofa, swinging an arm behind him in blind search for his book.

After a short ten minutes of reading his book and sipping his tea, he felt the recognizable burning gaze and turned to see two tired, brown eyes blinking up at him from the futon.

"Hey…" Kakashi offered him a small smile, leaving his mask pooled around his face; the Chuunin had already seen him without it.

"Morning." Iruka mumbled into the sheets and snuggled slightly into the warmth.

"How are you feeling?" The Jounin asked carefully, a small worry in the back of his mind that the Chuunin would change his mind by morning.

Iruka yawned into the sheets. "Tired." He laughed weakly.

"Do you want to go back to sleep for a bit?"

"No, it's okay." The Chuunin offered a small smile. "I'm already awake now."

Kakashi nodded and bit his lip awkwardly. "Are you still up for today?"

Hearing his question, the Chuunin let out a small sigh and looked away. His eyes quickly met Kakashi's again with a weak expression. "You won't leave me alone with him, will you?"

The Jounin confidently shook his head. "No, I won't." Iruka smiled softly. "Come on, we better get ready." The Copy Ninja grinned. "I'll even let you have the first shower."

A soft laugh escaped Iruka's lips, and he mumbled a small thank you. He remained still under the duvet for a moment, savouring the warmth before he sat himself up, revealing the tanned skin of his long back. He winced slightly at the stiffness in his shoulders and neck, stretching out his arms to receive a soothing click.

"There are some spare clothes in the bathroom for you to borrow, if you want them."

He nodded in appreciation and then made his way towards the shower upstairs.

Kakashi gazed back to his book; he seemed strong right now, but the Jounin feared Iruka might crack once they got there.

x—

He could sense the tension coming from the Chuunin a mile away. The younger man hadn't said a word since they left the front door. Kakashi was beginning to get nervous himself, the feeling that Iruka was going to lose his courage at the last minute growing deeper. Even if he did have a Jounin beside him, the man was still about to face his fears that were closest to home. It was understandable if the Chuunin changed his mind, but Kakashi was determined to make sure it didn't happen. There was only so much he could do, and if Iruka did change his mind and go back to Mizuki, then he would stop sticking his neck out to help the man. Despite how much he cared for his comrade, he was not going to be a bishop for the pawn to hide behind every time he was attacked.

Iruka suddenly stopped, staring at the white door in the distance. Kakashi glanced at the Chuunin cautiously.

"You still want to do this?"

Iruka nodded quickly, but he couldn't seem to find the courage to take a step further. With a small, sigh the Jounin extended his hand and linked his fingers into Iruka's with a tight but gentle grip. He felt Iruka squeeze his hand back tightly, as though the Copy Ninja's hand were his oxygen source.

"Don't leave my side…" Iruka mumbled anxiously.

"I said I wouldn't." Kakashi murmured. "Now come on, walk with me."

He took a step forward and gave Iruka's hand a small tug. The Chuunin followed, walking slightly behind him as they made their way towards the house. They stopped at the door, and the Chuunin took a deep breath before he placed his hand on the doorknob.

"Shit," he hissed. "He's locked it… My keys are in there." Despite the inconvenience he couldn't help but feel deeply relieved that his 'ex-lover" wasn't home.

"No problem." Kakashi smirked.

He clenched his free first and forced it through the frosty window of the door. A single kunai flew out of the doorway, but the Jounin snatched it in his hand and tossed it onto the ground behind him. He slid his arm through the broken gap and twisted the lock. He pushed the door open and stepped inside, tugging a hesitant Iruka inside behind him.

As he entered the living room, he paused and looked around. Iruka quickly scanned the area for any of his valuable belongings he wanted to take.

"Is that from last night?"

He glanced over to where the Jounin was pointing to.

"Yes." Iruka breathed, averting his eyes from the collapsed table and dented lamp. He began picking up small ornaments from the mantelpiece that held significant memories for him and placed them delicately on the sofa. "Will you come upstairs with me?" He asked quietly. The Jounin nodded, motioning for him to lead the way.

Upon entering the bedroom, Kakashi grimaced at the strong smell of cheap aftershave. The room Iruka and Mizuki shared looked nothing like he'd imagined. The walls were painted purple with small round mirrors decorating the wall above the bed, clean and old shirts scattered around the floor. He looked around curiously as Iruka pulled out a large bag from the wardrobe and filled it with his clothes, a couple of his favourite books, and a picture of his parents from the windowsill.

"Do I need to take any sheets?" The Jounin shook his head. He quickly ran over to the drawers and picked out a pile of his underwear, the Jounin noticing his none too subtle desire to leave as quickly as possible. "What about towels?"

"I have plenty," Kakashi informed, wanting to leave as much empty space as possible in the Chuunin's bag. With another nod, Iruka began stuffing his bag with his underwear and looked around frantically for any more of his things.

"Iruka, slow down. You're not in an egg and spoon race," He joked, offering the Chuunin a soft smile that hinted in his eye.

Despite his nerves, Iruka smirked. "Sorry," he mumbled as he opened another drawer and shuffled out a stack of academy papers and reports and slipped them into the bag. "What else?" He asked, looking around.

"Tooth brush?" Kakashi's eye crinkled.

"You make it sound like a sleep over." Iruka smirked warmly and headed for the bathroom. Kakashi, true to his word, stepped onto the landing to keep on guard.

"There won't be much point coming back to tell him will there?" Iruka asked hopefully. "I think he'll get the message when he sees my things are gone."

"Would you prefer it that way?" Kakashi openly asked, though inwardly he'd hoped Mizuki had been here; the sooner Iruka faced him, the sooner the inevitable confrontation would be over.

Iruka didn't respond, believing the Jounin already knew his answer. He exited the bathroom with his toothbrush and a spare bottle of hair conditioner and padded back into the bedroom to pack them. Kakashi stepped back into the room, taking another glance at the bed.

"Which side did you sleep on?" The genuinely curious question came out before he'd realised.

Iruka looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. "That side," pointing to the left. "Why?"

The Jounin shrugged and used his usual lazy tone. "Curious." Iruka nodded dumbly before he turned his gaze back to his bags.

Suddenly, a door slammed. Iruka let out a sharp gasp, turning to Kakashi with wide eyes and a pale face.

"Iruka?" A deep voice called out, though the tone was softer than last night. "Is that you? I need to talk to you, baby."

The Chuunin mouthed a curse as he looked around frantically. "Quick! Hide!" he whispered in a panicky voice.

Kakashi frowned. "No. Finish packing your things."

Iruka quickly shoved the remaining items into the bag and zipped it up. If the situation weren't so serious, Kakashi would have laughed when he saw the Chuunin run towards the window, but instead, he ran after him and grabbed his arm.

"Oh no you don't," the Jounin said sternly. "We agreed we were going to do this properly. Now come downstairs with me so we can get those ornaments."

"I can't…" Iruka whispered in a broken voice.

Kakashi shot him a glare. "Stop being a baby!" he hissed, losing his patience. If Iruka wasn't going to listen to reason, then he was going to listen to truth. "The only one stopping your freedom is you. Now get down those stairs and collect your things."

Iruka looked down to the floor with a deep sigh. He nodded and swung his bag over his shoulder. There was a small pause before he extended his hand towards Kakashi, a pleading look in his eyes.

The Jounin nodded in understanding and took hold of his hand. He walked the Chuunin out of the bedroom but stopped at the stairs, having to give Iruka another tug.

Iruka held his breath as he took each step, his heart beating so fast in his chest as though it was going to burst open any minute. Kakashi made no hesitation as he walked down the steps, and as his visible eye glanced sharply over to the silver haired Chuunin, he felt a strong sense of justice wash through him at the face the other man made.

Iruka felt his heart crush as he met Mizuki's eyes, those green orbs immediately shooting down to their entwined fingers.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Mizuki murmured in a fresh, dark tone.

Iruka tensed up and stopped at the stairs, frozen. He glanced over weakly to Kakashi who looked at him expectantly. The pale fingers tightened against his hand in reassurance, urging him to speak up, to tell Mizuki exactly what he was doing. He felt a small spark of strength rise within him, but when he turned back to Mizuki, the cold look in those green eyes knocked it right out of him again. He felt his chest tighten painfully as he parted his lips, trying to force out his words but nothing would come.

Kakashi sighed, realizing the Chuunin had lost his courage. His visible eye glanced over to Mizuki, mirroring the older Chuunin's hard look. "He's leaving you." He explained simply.

"I wasn't talking to you!" Mizuki spat out quickly, his eyes never leaving the brunette. "What are you doing, Iruka?"

As Iruka could only stare at his 'ex' with a stiff figure, Kakashi realized exactly how much fear the younger man had for Mizuki. There was a small part of him that felt the need to stand in front of the brunette to protect him, but Kakashi knew that although the physical mistreatment was no longer an issue, the psychological abuse lasted longer; that was why Iruka needed to break the cycle now.

Deciding to speak up, the Jounin raised a silver eyebrow. "Answer him, Iruka."

He almost heard the whimper that threatened to break from the Chuunin's lips. He felt those tanned fingers tighten more on his hand, and Kakashi returned the treatment, urging him to speak up.

"I…" he whispered, and felt a pale thumb brush along the tanned skin of his hand, telling him that it was okay. "I'm leaving," he finally said, unable to look the man in the eye. "With Kakashi."

Those green, dangerous eyes snapped from Iruka to Kakashi and back to Iruka. "You wouldn't dare," he growled.

"I am," Iruka mumbled quietly, hating those green eyes that pierced coldly into his own.

This time, he tugged at Kakashi's hand, signalling for him to move. The Jounin complied, walking casually down the steps as the Chuunin followed. Iruka then released the man's hand and approached the sofa. He placed his bag down and unzipped it, collecting his prized ornaments and carefully squashing them into the bag, his eyes staying focussed on his hands.

He could feel Mizuki's eyes watching him in disbelief; he'd never seen this side to Iruka, though the silver haired Chuunin had no doubts about where the sudden attitude had come from. Kakashi watched carefully from the bottom of the stairs. Although he promised to protect Iruka, he still felt that now was not the moment to come between the two Chuunin's.

As Iruka zipped the bag up and lifted it, Mizuki's eyes tightened. "Don't be stupid, Iruka." He said calmly. "Put the bag down."

Iruka ignored the uncomfortable twist in the pit of his stomach and hooked the bag back over his shoulder.

"Iruka," Mizuki murmured, seeming unaffected by the Copy Ninja's presence. "Put the bag down."

When there was no comply, the older Chuunin hissed and reached for the bag, but a sudden wave of chakra hit him as the Jounin appeared before him in the blink of an eye, positioning himself between Mizuki and Iruka. The older Chuunin glared up at him with fury, his teeth bared like a vicious animal striving for ownership of what was his.

"He's not yours anymore," Kakashi murmured, and just to piss the man off a bit more, "He's mine," with a smirk in his eye. Iruka stared with wide eyes; the familiar sense of security rushing through him at the Jounin's carried out promise.

Mizuki's eyes flashed in rage, furious at the Copy Ninja's interfering. His fists clenched; fighting wasn't his way with higher ranks, he was better with his words.

"I promise you, you'll regret this," Mizuki growled and stole a dark glance of the wide-eyed Iruka. "He'll come running back to me, just like he always does."

Kakashi let out an amused grunt. "Let's go, Iruka." He turned to the brunette who nodded weakly.

"Iruka."

Said man froze, hesitating to glance back to Mizuki.

"If you walk out that door, so help me, I will make you sorry you were fucking born." He growled under his breath in a dark tone that sent a shiver down the brunette's spine. Iruka stared at him with watering, hesitant eyes, knowing that Mizuki would be true to his word.

Was this really worth it?

But Kakashi had seen it coming. He placed a hand on Iruka's arm and gave it a gentle squeeze, hoping to put some logic back into him. Iruka looked up at him, and the Jounin raised a silver eyebrow expectantly. The Chuunin finally nodded in fresh motivation and turned towards the doorway.

"Iruka!" Mizuki growled warningly.

Iruka sped up his pace and ran out of the doorway, Kakashi casually following behind and offering the silver haired Chuunin a small wave. He slammed the door behind him and turned to see Iruka standing with his back to him, his shoulders trembling violently.

Shit. Kakashi sighed; he wasn't going to give Mizuki the satisfaction of seeing Iruka break down. He quickly stepped behind him and teleported them both away from the area, reappearing again, quite skilfully in Kakashi's opinion, under the bridge of the canal; Iruka's sanctuary. He sat the man down and pulled him into a loose hug as the younger man let out fast breathes. He was hyperventilating.

"He's-going-to kill-me!" The younger man cried out. "I-don't-know-what-to-do-I-don't-know-what-he's-going-to-do-I-don't-know-"

"Iruka!" Kakashi gave him a little shake, eyeing him sternly. "Stop that nonsense! He's not going to kill you at all!" He placed a warm hand on the man's back and rubbed gently in circles. "Take a couple of deep breaths." He ordered and watched as the Chuunin struggled to catch his breath. "Keep going," he encouraged, and Iruka gradually found his pace again. Kakashi smiled behind his mask and shuffled closer, wrapping his arm around the younger man's waist. "You did so well in there, I'm really proud, Iruka." He leaned down slightly to meet the Chuunin's watery eyes. "The worst part is over."

"No, it isn't," Iruka mumbled quietly. "He's going to make me pay for this." There was a small pause, before the Chuunin looked up into the distance. "Maybe if I go back now it won't be too late-"

"If you say that to me one more time, Iruka, I will walk away from you for good." Kakashi murmured deeply, offering him a warning glare. Iruka sank back into the ground. "We're in this together now, and I promise you no matter what happens, I will defend you against all of them, but you've got to stick by me, too. Don't ditch me again, it's not fair - I'm sticking my neck out for you."

"I'm sorry." Iruka said quietly. "I wish I'd never gotten you involved!" He slapped a palm into his face in frustration.

"Yeah well, it's done now." Kakashi shrugged. "Just promise me you won't go back to him." Iruka nodded hesitantly. "Say it." Kakashi ordered. "Promise me."

"I promise!" Iruka nodded quickly. His eyes suddenly widened. "But what am I going to do about the mission room? They're all in there with me!"

"You hold your head up high and remember that you haven't done anything wrong." Kakashi answered simply. "And if they start, you're going to tell your new boyfriend, who will sort it out for you."

Iruka sighed and dipped down his head. "Why are you helping me? After what I did to you…"

"I don't care about that anymore, Iruka." The Jounin sighed. "It's in the past. Just like Mizuki. Now, come, let's get some breakfast."

"I'm not hungry." The Chuunin whispered.

Kakashi sighed. "Alright, then let's go and unpack."

x—

Iruka folded his clothes properly and placed them into the spare drawer the Jounin had cleaned out for him. He looked around the Copy Ninja's bedroom, taking in the surroundings he had never expected; he'd always pictured Kakashi to be a very clean person, but the clothes scattered around the floor said otherwise. He smirked lightly and stood to his feet, approaching them. Sitting down on the floor again he picked up a dark vest and neatly folded it, standing to his knees to stretch and place it down on the bed. He picked up another, and another, and piled the folded clothes on top of each other.

The footsteps alerted him, and he looked up to the door when the Jounin stepped into the room, his visible eye averting from Iruka to the clothes now piled up on the bed.

"Maa, sorry about that." He smirked. "I had a minor disagreement with the laundry basket."

Despite his very gloomy mood, Iruka laughed, a rather amusing image springing to his mind.

The Jounin's smirk faded quickly as he moved to the serious situation of sleeping arrangements. "I don't really have much space, the spare room is a complete mess, and I've lost the key that opens it." He chuckled weakly.

Iruka's eyebrow rose in confusion. "But you're a Shinobi…?" His nose wrinkled; couldn't he just kick it open?

"It's haunted." Kakashi suddenly murmured in a casual voice.

Iruka blinked and stole a glance of the wall of the room next door. "Oh…"

The Jounin's eye crinkled into a soft smile. "So I'd stay away from it."

"Sure." Iruka slowly nodded and then glanced around awkwardly. "So… where shall I sleep?"

Kakashi's expression turned serious again. "Well, I needed to ask you that." Iruka blinked. "If we want to make this convincing, we're going to have to get used to each other. Sleeping in separate rooms will only make things awkward when it's time to act for our audience." He explained, not very keen on the idea himself, but the planning of deceit took a lot of effort.

Iruka felt his cheeks heat up at the thought of sharing a bed with the Copy Ninja. He hid his satisfaction well, masking it with a firm nod. "Alright."

"Good." Kakashi nodded and approached the bed, picking up the pile of clothes. "I'll change the sheets, and make some room on the windowsill for your ornaments if you like."

"Really?"

Kakashi nodded. Iruka smiled brightly and shuffled over to his bag. As Kakashi slid his picture frame to the side, Iruka placed his ornaments on the empty side, spacing them out neatly. He paused for a moment, glancing over to the picture.

"Do you want to put that one in the middle? It is your room after all…" He offered, his eyes still lingering on the bored-looking child that stared back at him in the picture.

"Sure." Kakashi nodded hesitantly as he watched the Chuunin pick up his possession. He felt his breath dissolve in his throat as Iruka took a moment to steal a small, studying glance, but he remained quiet, waiting for him to finish.

"How old were you there?" Iruka asked quietly.

"Thirteen." The answer came out more abrupt than Kakashi had hoped. Thankfully, the Chuunin sensed the awkward atmosphere and quickly placed it back on the windowsill, turning his eyes away from it.

"Are you sure you're alright with this?" Iruka asked, glancing up weakly to the visible eye that gazed down at him.

The Jounin nodded firmly, reluctant to speak up on how he really felt. He was giving up his home, his bed, his privacy, and for what? Nothing. Nothing but trouble. Of course he wasn't alright with it, but Kakashi knew he'd sleep better at night knowing that the Chuunin was beside him, not sleeping under a bridge of under Mizuki's sour eyes.

He opened the wardrobe and shifted the hangers to one side, making some more space for the Chuunin's clothes. He poked a hand over the top shelf of the wardrobe and picked out some sheets.

"Do you want me to do that?" Iruka asked.

"I've got it." Kakashi replied and began stripping the bed to replace the sheets. He spread out the duvet and fluffed the pillow, then frowned. "It's going to be a bit of a squeeze." He murmured as he approached the wardrobe again to search for another pillow.

"Well, I don't mind sleeping on the sofa…" Iruka suggested weakly.

"But that would defeat the purpose."

A small smile slipped past the Chuunin's lips as the older man's back was turned. "Well, then how about if I buy a double bed?" Iruka asked, raising an eyebrow. "It's the least I could do… for what you're doing for me."

"We'll go halves on it." Kakashi agreed, finally finding a pillow at the back of the wardrobe. He tossed it onto the bed then glanced over to Iruka. "One condition though." Iruka blinked. "I like to sleep on the left."

The Chuunin nodded with a small smile, understanding the man's words; in Mizuki's home, he slept on the left – Kakashi wanted to make a fresh start for him.

"Right." Kakashi slipped his hands into his pockets as he took one last view of the made bed. "I'm going to make some food. Are you hungry?"

Iruka nodded. "Starving." He smiled softly.

x—

After a warm meal and a shopping trip for spare toiletries, evening began to visit. Iruka was exhausted by 6 PM, the energy knocked out of him during the morning's confrontation. He sat quietly in the chair, dressed in a loose pair of grey pyjama bottoms and a comfortable shirt, grading the school papers. Kakashi sat in the other chair wearing a dark pair of bottoms decorated in small shuriken patterns, an old, worn out black best that cut along the chest, and a thin eye patch, reading his infamous orange book. The only thing that drowned out the silence was the soft crackle around the fireplace, a sound that reminded the Chuunin of the warm, caring atmosphere he always felt between these four walls.

It felt so different from being back at home… or, should he say, Mizuki's home. The atmosphere was never soothing there, rarely silent unless the two had shared their argument, and Iruka was either waiting for Mizuki to go to bed or come back from where he'd ran off to vent.

Hearing the soft flip of a page, he glanced over to the Jounin sitting in the chair, his visible eye fixed on the current page. His silver eyebrow narrowed slightly into a small frown, the Jounin obviously deep into the story. Noticing the blurred gaze, Kakashi's eye flickered over to Iruka, who quickly lowered his own eyes back to his students' quizzes.

"Are you alright?" He heard the Jounin ask in his usual lazy tone, though the sense of concern was detected.

"Mmhm." Iruka replied distantly, his eyes raking lazily across the quiz answers. With a small sigh, he looked back to Kakashi. "I'm exhausted… would you mind if I went to bed?"

Kakashi's eye widened slightly in surprise at the question; uncomfortable with the fact that Iruka was asking him for permission. "Course you can." He murmured, his eye crinkling up into a smile. "I'll be up later when I've finished this." He explained, lifting up his orange book.

A small frown spread across the Chuunin's face. "Haven't you read that before?"

"Yeah?" The Jounin blinked.

Iruka smirked and then laughed when Kakashi made a clueless face. "Sorry," he snickered. "It's just the faces you pull when you're reading," Kakashi blinked again. "Like you're involved in the story."

Kakashi's bare lips tugged into a crooked grin. "I am involved." He murmured in a playful tone. "Junko-chan has a tough decision to make; the shy, affectionate virgin or the mysterious 'bad boy' who took three chapters to tell her his name." He offered the Chuunin a meaningful look. "I'm rooting for the first."

Iruka frowned. "But you already know what happens?"

His reply was a small smirk before the Jounin turned his eyes back to the book. The Chuunin remained silent for a moment, staring down at the floor in deep thought. Finally, he glanced back to the Jounin.

"Does that mean that you…" He paused, attempting to sound disinterested. "…like men then?"

"Maa…" Kakashi's eye squinted. "I've never really thought about it. I'm not really a fan of relationships."

Iruka's heart sank. "Why?" He asked quietly, unsure if he really wanted to know.

The Jounin was silent for a long minute, thinking of an answer. "I'm in and out of the village a lot, so I wouldn't have time to give someone what they wanted… it would be unfair." His eye narrowed into a small frown. "Plus, the life of any Shinobi… you never know when your time's up."

Iruka nodded softly. "Yeah," he whispered. "I see what you mean." He looked away, watching in the corner of his eye as the Jounin turned back to his book again. He knew he shouldn't have asked; he was only hurting himself thinking that he could have a chance. "Anyway," He gave a fake chuckle at the 'odd' conversation. "I'm heading off to bed."

Kakashi glanced over to him again and smiled through his lips and eyes. "Night."

"Night."

Kakashi listened to the footsteps as the Chuunin made his way up the stairs. When the blurred figure in the corner of his eye disappeared he let out a deep sigh, rolling his head against the back of the chair. He wasn't an idiot; he knew exactly where the question had come from. He only hoped his answer was enough to make the message clear.

Iruka tugged off his bottoms and folded them neatly on the floor, his gloomy eyes gazing at the single bed beside him. With a small sigh, he peeled back the sheets and slipped inside, inhaling the sweet scent that surrounded him. He snuggled up to the end of the mattress, leaving enough room for the Jounin beside him on the left-hand side. He could see Kakashi's point, but it didn't make him feel any better. He closed his eyes in attempt to shut out his thoughts, but a certain worry floated to the surface.

He had a shift in the mission room tomorrow, with Mizuki, Izumo and Kotetsu.

A small, quiet whimper escaped his lips, knowing that things were about to get a lot worse, and he couldn't do anything to stop it.

The worries added to his exhaustion, and he soon drifted into a light sleep, though he woke again when he heard faint footsteps enter the room a few hours later.

"Sorry…" Kakashi whispered, sensing the chakra disturbance as the Chuunin woke.

Iruka blinked tiredly into the darkness and shuffled over a little to give him more space. He listened distantly as the Jounin stripped from his bottoms and then climbed onto the bed, crawling along the mattress. "Have you got enough room?" He asked quietly and Iruka nodded softly. He slipped into the sheets and wriggled slightly to face the wall, the two men facing back to back in the bed.

A small, silent sigh escaped Iruka's lips at the new warmth, feeling the Jounin so close. He closed his eyes and drifted off again, barely hearing the whispered, 'night'.


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks a lot for reviews, and thanks, again, _Althea17_ for being my beta. ^^  
- Fanfiction . net/u/244391/Althea17  
- althea17 . livejournal . com/

x—

A strangled yelp jolted Iruka from his sleep. His eyes snapped open and turned to his right, noticing the sharp tufts of silver strands that shot out of the blanket. A low, deep groan vibrated softly through the sheets.

"Kakashi?"

"Give me a minute," the Jounin whispered through a sharp gulp of air.

"What's wrong?"

After a long silence, the Jounin hoarsely spoke up. "Your knee went… went straight into my groin."

Iruka's face turned red in embarrassment, and he clamped a hand over his mouth. "I'm so sorry!" he mumbled between his fingers. "Do you want me to get you something for it?"

A breathless chuckle slipped from under the duvet. "No, it's okay," The blanket shifted slightly, and the Jounin's tired, mismatched eyes peaked out from under the blanket. "But I think we should start thinking about this double-bed situation." He gave a small, sleepy smirk. "I have a mission later, but I should be back this afternoon, and then we can meet up and get the bed."

Iruka averted his eyes uncomfortably at the mission news, feeling last night's worry return. "How far away will you be?"

"Not far," Kakashi assured him, wanting to keep up the Chuunin's strength. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't share any details, regardless of the personal situation. "What time do you have to be in the mission room?"

"Actually…" The younger man sighed and looked away. "Actually, I was thinking of taking the day off."

Kakashi's eyebrow rose suspiciously.

"It's usually not too busy on Tuesdays, so I'll just be sitting there with nothing to do. Plus," He pointed to the folded pile of clothes on the side table. "I still have some unpacking to do."

"...It's Wednesday."

Iruka blinked. "Is it?"

"Yes," Kakashi gave him a meaningful glance. "So, it looks like it's going to be a busy day for you after all."

He could almost hear the curse that echoed inside Iruka's head, failing at his attempt to avoid the start of his new life. Kakashi understood why, he really did, but the longer this hiding method stretched, the more difficult it would become to take that final step out of this finished chapter. It was over – finished, no matter what Mizuki thought.

When the Chuunin didn't answer and just glared weakly into space, the Jounin sighed and placed a comforting hand on the younger man's shoulder. "It'll be fine," he whispered softly, the Chuunin wincing at the hot breath against his ear.

"I don't want to," He closed his eyes with a deep sigh. "I can't - not if you're not here."

"I'll only be gone for the morning…"

"And I'll only be gone for a day," he whined.

Kakashi's eyebrow rose at Iruka's voice; it sounded as though he was pleading him to let it be. He frowned, sitting up to lean over and meet the man's eyes. "And how many more days after that? One? Two? A week? A month?" With a deep sigh, his eye softened. "I'm on your side, Iruka, and I know you're scared, but the longer you leave it, the more difficult it will get."

The Chuunin turned over and buried his face into the pillow. "But he'll be there…"

"I don't think he'll do anything with so many people around," the Jounin argued. "Has he ever hurt you in public?"

"…No," Iruka said reluctantly after a small pause of thought.

With a weak smile, Kakashi placed a firm hand on the Chuunin's back. "Well then, there'll be Shinobi coming in and out all day, and I'll be back this afternoon, remember?"

Iruka remained silent as he thought on the Jounin's words. He was right; if he continued to hide, the situation would never get any better. "Alright," he mumbled through the pillow. "And you'll be back in the afternoon?"

Kakashi nodded firmly. "I will."

"Alright," With a small sigh, the Chuunin turned to face the Jounin again, his tired eyes glancing up to the older man's face in remorse. "I'm sorry for kneeing you."

A low chuckle escaped Kakashi's lips, and he shook his head. "No harm done." His eyes crinkled up into a soft smile. "We better get ready."

Iruka nodded and closed his eyes, to the Jounin's notice, savouring the warmth. With sudden determination, he sat up and rubbed his eyes, then looked around the room. "Can I use your shower?"

"Mmhm."

With a small yawn, the Chuunin climbed out of the bed and opened the drawer to pick out a towel. He stole a small glance of the now snoozing Jounin and scowled. 'Better get ready,' he sulked as he left the room.

x—

As they stopped outside the mission room door, Iruka felt his nerves return. Although he understood that Kakashi's missions were still a priority, he couldn't help but feel a little angry towards the Jounin for forcing him into this position and on his own. Though, despite the tough method Kakashi was using on him, he couldn't deny that it was effective; he didn't offer much sympathy, and when Iruka secretly longed for it, instead of rubbing his back and muttering 'poor baby' into his ear, Kakashi forced him to stand up again and take a good look at himself.

But right now, that method didn't seem to be working; his palms were sweaty, his hands were shaking, and the numb feeling had returned to his stomach. His anxiety was anticipated, and Kakashi tilted his head to meet the younger man's eyes.

"Do you want me to go in with you?"

Iruka looked away, feeling what was left of his dignity shrink at the question. "Would it make me a coward if I did?" His whisper was barely heard.

"No," Kakashi answered firmly. "A coward would have stayed at home."

Iruka winced at his words but couldn't help but feel a little relieved; right now, no one else's approval mattered to him other than the Jounin.

He was going to do this.

"Come in with me," he decided and felt a warm, pale hand take his own.

The door swung open, and to Iruka's surprise, Kakashi strolled in first, gently tugging him along. As the Chuunin stepped into the room, his eyes quickly darted around to detect the amount of people. The echoed, murmured chatter suddenly stopped; most eyes staring at them accusingly, the others confused on what they'd missed. He felt those familiar green eyes shoot up at his presence. The silver-haired Chuunin sat at the end of the long desk, his two Chuunin friends beside him.

Kakashi walked him over to the other end of the long counter and suddenly turned, his visible eye pierced into his own. Despite the burning gaze from each direction, Iruka's attention was taken by the Jounin's eye.

"Have a good day," the Jounin murmured softly, killing the silence. "I'll see you later."

Suddenly, those masked lips were pressed against Iruka's, his eyes widening in surprise. But before he could react, the kiss was broken, and with a crinkled-eyed smile, the Jounin made his way to the door.

If looks could kill, Kakashi was a dead man; he felt the sharp glares shoot his way from every direction, but Mizuki's were the strongest. He casually glanced over, and those dark green eyes tightened fiercely at the shared contact. He could see the hate, the fury, and the strong sense of panic at what the man had just witnessed: his 'Ruka sharing his lips with another man. To the eyes of the others in the room, it was hurt and jealousy, but Kakashi could see underneath; Mizuki was scared - he was losing control of Iruka.

Being a trained Jounin, Kakashi knew how to control his emotions well. His eye revealed disinterest, but the long, bold stare accepted the unspoken challenge Mizuki was asking for.

Kakashi didn't generally go looking for trouble in his personal life; he'd hoped that this situation wouldn't spiral so severely, especially after what had happened to Genma. But, there was a difference between bellowing out an unreasonable opinion and enjoying the sight of someone cowering at your feet. He'd promised to protect Iruka, and if things were to get serious between him and Mizuki, then he was more than prepared for it.

As the traitorous Jounin exited the room, the attention naturally turned to the tense Chuunin. Iruka quickly took his seat and began sorting through his reports, keeping his eyes focused on his work. He could feel the cold stares from the other side of the desk, but he forced himself to stay calm; he could read Mizuki like a book, just as his ex-lover could read him. Words didn't always need to be said; eyes could be just as intimidating. He couldn't let Mizuki know it was working.

Many comrades breezed in and out of the door, though very little of them seemed satisfied to have their reports looked over by the cheating Chuunin. It was infuriating how Mizuki seemed to pick out his alliances from thin air, and that over a single night, he'd managed to turn a large amount of people against him. It wasn't fair; not one of them had asked him what was going on. Surely a shinobi would realize that there were always two sides to every story. Though, saying that, he knew he wouldn't have the stomach to speak up on his side anyway; there wasn't a dignified way of admitting to crawling along the floor whilst being pulled by a leash.

The mission room soon quieted down. He picked up his bag from underneath the table and fished out the pile of unmarked quizzes to fill in the time.

"Iruka," a voice suddenly called.

He tensed, keeping his eyes on his work.

"Oi, Iruka," Izumo called him again. "I'm talking to you."

His hand gripped his pen, eyes _refusing_ to move from the paper.

"What's with the cold shoulder? I can't help but get the impression you're avoiding us." The Chuunins smirked. Mizuki watched quietly, his eyes never leaving the brunette.

A soft clink suddenly echoed around the room, his chest clenching at the sight of a pen rolling along the desk towards him.

"Bring my pen back, Iruka," Kotetsu's dark voice sent a tremble through the brunette's shoulders.

They were toying with him, and they knew it was working. The pen hit against the edge of his papers. He felt his dignity dissolve as he went to pick it up, but a pale hand beat him to it and rolled it back along the table towards the scorning pair. The Chuunin glanced up, and his eyes widened as a familiar face stared back at him.

"Genma-san…" he breathed, relieved to see the Jounin. He'd noticed Kakashi with him the other night and figured they were close; that knowledge was enough to comfort him.

"Morning," the Jounin greeted. He stole a suspicious glance at the three Chuunin, observing the large distance, and then looked back to Iruka. "Everything alright?"

The question sent a twitch to his nerves, wanting to yell out that everything wasn't alright, but he nodded weakly, forcing a skilled, fake smile and extending a hand to receive the man's report.

Genma winced. "Actually, I need to talk to you about that," his eyes flickering away. "Long story short, I lost it… so if you could just give me a new one and let me redo it here, then that would be mighty fine," he smirked persuasively, meeting the Chuunin's eyes.

Iruka's lips twitched in amusement, the Jounin's presence raising his spirits a little. With a fake warning look, he swiped a clean report from the pile and handed it to him. "Let's not make a habit of this," he scolded warmly, and the Jounin snorted,swiping the sheet.

"I wouldn't dream of it, Iruka-sensei," Genma mimicked the joking tone. With a swift movement, he leaped over the wide desk and took an empty seat beside the Chuunin and began scribbling over the report. Iruka glanced at him, a small smile forming. The company was good, but the comfort and security that came with it was even better. He felt himself relax, despite the three Chuunins watching sharply, furious at the new choice of ally.

"So," a deep voice suddenly spoke out that Iruka recognized immediately.

A confused Genma looked over to the silver haired Chuunin, though his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Mizuki looked from Genma to Iruka, his pale lips curving into a cold, amused smirk. "How much is he paid to babysit you?"

"Huh?" the Jounin blinked.

Iruka felt a stab of anger as he realized what the man was assuming. He stole an uncomfortable glance of Genma as the other man sighed and returned to his report.

"Talking out your arse again, Mizuki?" he muttered under his breath, though the statement was heard.

Genma wasn't an idiot. He'd sensed the tension the second he stepped through the door. Something had obviously gone on between the two Chuunins, though what he had to do with it was beyond him. Nevertheless, his dislike for Mizuki wasn't a secret, and his pride wouldn't let him back down to a mere, arsehole Chuunin.

With one last scribble over his report, he handed it over to the Chuunin beside him. "All okay?" He smiled brightly as the brunette looked it over. When his report was approved he leaped back over the table and headed for the door, those green eyes watching his movement.

"Send my love to Raidou."

"Fuck you, Mizuki," Genma growled, slamming the door behind him.

Iruka blinked; Genma and Raidou? Since when?

His eyes flickered over to the clock, a small sigh escaping his lips. There wasn't much time left, but the Chuunin wished Genma would have stayed longer because the deadening silence surrounding the desk had returned. After a couple of seconds of stalling, he got back to his marking. It seemed as though Mizuki and his friends had accepted his presence in the room; their one-liners had stopped, he couldn't feel their eyes on him anymore, and Mizuki's attention had shifted to his friends.

There was a spark inside of him that wanted to believe that Mizuki had let it go, that Kakashi was right about this part of his life being over, but he knew only too well that his ex-lover didn't work like that. Mizuki would never let something go, especially something he truly cared about, though Iruka had never understood that; if Mizuki cared about him, then why was their relationship the way it was? Why did the older man enjoy making him cry? Making him crawl across the floor? Making him beg?

None of the gods answered his question, but his bladder ordered immediate attention. He stood up from his chair but stopped, looking down at his papers. With a moment's hesitation he gathered up his belongings and slipped them into his bag, not wanting to leave any of his things lying around. Those eyes followed as he walked across the room, but he kept his eyes on the door. When he stepped outside the mission room, he closed the door behind him and let out a deep sigh, feeling the rush of relief as the tension slipped away a little. His bladder quickly reminded him of his quest. He made his way down the corridor and slipped into the bathroom.

Feeling the cold water rinse against his hot, sweaty hands, he felt himself cool down a little. He hadn't even realised how stuffy it was in the mission room until now. He turned and placed his hands under the drier, the loud noise drowning out the soothing silence.

He turned again but stopped, his breath catching in his throat as he found himself staring back at the silver haired Chuunin, leaning against the bathroom door. He froze, terrified to move, to speak.

A small drip fell from the tap, cutting off the long silence as the two Chuunins stared into each other's eyes, searching for each man's thoughts.

"'Ruka…" Mizuki whispered under his breath.

Iruka looked away.

"Don't turn away from me," his green eyes tightened slightly in hurt. "You know I don't like that."

With a small sigh, the brunette weakly looked the man in the eye. A silver brow rose, studying Iruka's face carefully.

"What are you doing, Iruka?" he finally asked in a low, frustrated voice.

"Mizu," Iruka whimpered quietly, his shoulders shrinking. "Please…"

"Why him?" Mizuki growled, cutting him off. "Do you think he's going to stay with you for long? He's a Jounin, for Kami's sake. He'll fuck anything with legs, and then throw them out like trash." His eyebrow narrowed warningly. "And then who will you go running to?"

Iruka looked down to the floor, not knowing what to say.

"I've given you everything, Iruka," Mizuki glared at him. "Without me, you would be dead by now."

"That's not true," Iruka whispered, holding back his tears.

"Isn't it?" the Chuunin smirked. Iruka faltered. "You were a mess when we met, wallowing in your own self pity. And who took you in?" His eyebrow rose at the silence. "Who?"

The tears finally fell. "You," the brunette whispered.

"Who made sure you ate, slept, and continued your studies?" The piercing look demanded an answer.

"Y-You…" Iruka admitted in a broken voice, wiping his sleeve through his tears.

"You wonder why I get so angry with you," Mizuki glared. "I've wasted most of my life watching over you, making sure you don't do anything stupid. I even failed my Chuunin exam because I was too busy watching over you!" he shouted in anger. Iruka flinched at the tone, letting the new tears fall down his face. "And then you wonder why I get so angry, when you disrespect me, when you neglect me to visit that… thing!" he growled, referring to the nine-tailed child. "And now this!"

There was a moment of silence as the older man gained back his breath. Iruka remained silent, holding back a cry.

"You behave like 'the poor little victim,' but you're the one who made this happen, Iruka," Mizuki murmured deeply. "If you had paid attention, if you had shown any appreciation for every sacrifice I made for you…" he finally sighed, venting out his anger. His green eyes flickered back to the brunette, offering the man a softer look. "But I'll always do that for you. You're my soul mate, and I know I'm yours, too."

He stepped towards the brunette. Iruka watched him through watery eyes as the older man approached and cupped a warm hand over his trembling, damp cheek.

"It's me and you, baby," Mizuki whispered, planting a tender, loving kiss on the other man's forehead.

Iruka shivered against his touch and looked back up to the older man, his face flustered from the familiar, yet rare warmth he'd so often wished for.

"We'll make a fresh start," Mizuki whispered softly in his ear. "Put all of this behind us, and start again." He planted another kiss on the brunette's forehead. "What do you say?"

Iruka sighed and closed his eyes, squeezing out another line of tears. His eyelids fluttered open, gazing down at their feet.

"No," His whisper was barely heard, but the answer was firm enough for Mizuki.

"No?" the older man murmured, his green eyes piercing into those brown, avoiding orbs. "What do you mean, 'no'?" he hissed, sending a shiver down the brunette's back.

"I…" Iruka sighed, looking anywhere but Mizuki. "I don't want to," he whispered.

There was a long silence, and Iruka held his breath, not knowing what to expect. When the older man suddenly took a step back, he hesitantly glanced up, meeting the man's eyes. Mizuki was glaring at him again, his teeth gritted in fury.

"Then maybe I'll have to persuade you some more," he murmured deeply.

Iruka's eyes widened, loosening the hold on his tears that dripped down his face again. He stole a glance of the door, praying that Kakashi was back, looking for him. That he would walk inside any minute.

A pale hand fisted his vest and pulled the yelping brunette towards him. Iruka's eyes darted around the room, spotting the door. His fingers curled around the pale wrists, sinking his fingernails into the tender skin. The older man hissed in pain. Iruka jerked away and ran for it, but the pale hand grabbed hold of his hair and dragged the stumbling brunette back. The hand jerked down, and Iruka whimpered as he was forced to bend over backwards.

"Don't you ever do that to me again!" Mizuki growled deeply, glaring down at the younger man.

"Mizu," Iruka croaked, fisting the tight hold on his hair. "Stop it!" finally finding his voice. "I'll report you!"

The threat only made his ex-lover chuckle, and he yanked the brunette back up, keeping the firm grip. "And lose your job?" he hissed, smirking at the brunette's confusion. "The Hokage doesn't have time for crybabies, Iruka. You'll be the laughingstock of the village."

Iruka grimaced in pain. "Kakashi will find out," he warned, only to receive a deeply amused laugh.

"Tell him." He dragged the teary Chuunin towards a bathroom stall. "You'll be doing me a favour." He smirked, a flickered image of Genma coming to mind. "Now, in."

"No!" Iruka growled, his fear rising. He let out a useless whimper when the stronger Chuunin wrapped a strong arm around his waist and lifted him up. "No!" Iruka screamed again, clutching the door.

Mizuki was too strong. His fingers slapped away from the wood, and the door was slammed closed, locked.

"I think this should help you with your decision!" Mizuki growled coldly behind the stall.

"Mizuki!"

A screaming sob echoed around the bathroom, tearing the brunette's throat.

x—

The leather threaded back through the metal ring as Mizuki buckled his belt. His green eyes narrowed down to the quivering brunette, the younger man's face hidden underneath the chocolate locks. With a deep sigh, the older man ripped squares of tissue from the side and dropped them onto the floor. The brunette twitched, feeling the warm, thin lines of red and white trickle down the backs of his thighs.

"Clean yourself up," Mizuki murmured, straightening out his silver strands. There was a small silence as he gazed down at the younger man, his eyes twitching slightly in hesitation, before he turned and unlocked the door.

Iruka stayed frozen on the floor as he listened to the footsteps fade and the bathroom door clicked gently shut; he was gone. He slowly lifted his head, distraught, soggy eyes staring at the stall door. With a sharp inhale, he forced himself on his knees, slid the bolt locked, and then slumped back to the floor.

Curling his fingers around the charity tissue, he whispered his cries as he cleaned himself up. An attempt to sit down was denied when a sharp pain shot through him, and he let out a small whimper, turning to sit on his side. He didn't have the courage to leave the bathroom, to go back into the mission room and continue his work.

Resting his head onto his bag, he lay quietly, waiting patiently for Kakashi to return from his mission, and find him.


	6. Chapter 6

Beta-credit: Althea17  
- Fanfiction . net/u/244391/Althea17  
- althea17 . livejournal . com/  
- Thank you!  
x—

As soon as he entered the gates, Kakashi made no hesitation to get back to the mission room. Although he believed that it was important for Iruka to face his fears alone, he knew that he would also need to stand by and be prepared to step in if absolute necessary.

As he had grown up and experienced the world, Kakashi had learned to understand how people like Mizuki worked. It was all about power; the need to feel superior and be feared by others. The confidence came with the skill, along with the ability to spin a web of lies into the shape of reality. The reason Iruka believed that Mizuki was stronger was because Mizuki had the confidence to support his bluffs, though Kakashi had recently wondered if this manipulation had been going on since the ex-lovers were school friends, which meant that Iruka would have accepted Mizuki's strength at an early start.

If so, that made things a little more complicated. He needed to find out more about their relationship if he wanted Iruka to stand up to Mizuki and tell the man, with genuine confidence, that he _was not_ afraid.

At first, Kakashi couldn't understand how someone of Chuunin rank could fall so submissively to an equal comrade, but as he'd spent more time with Iruka, he'd learned to presume nothing in the matter of relationships.

Whether Iruka's heart still yearned for Mizuki, Kakashi wasn't entirely sure. But then again, that depended on how much time they'd spent together to grow that strong connection. Personally, Kakashi couldn't grasp how Iruka tolerated sleeping beside Mizuki every night, knowing that tomorrow would be another day, another argument, another beating. Was it just that he was too afraid to change things, or was he still holding on to some faith that his lover would one day change?

As he opened the door to the mission room, the first thing he noticed was the second round of silence at his presence, but he ignored it, his attention elsewhere. The desk he'd left Iruka at was empty, but Kakashi remained calm as he stole a sly glance of Izumo and Kotetsu, considering the chance that on a Wednesday, the classrooms may need a supply teacher. It was when he noticed that Mizuki's chair was also empty and said Chuunin wasn't in the room that he began to panic.

Knowing that most of his loyal comrades in the room hated his 'two-timing' guts right now, he saw no point in asking them if they'd seen his 'lover.' He closed the door with a quiet click and turned his eyes to each side of the corridor, not knowing where to start.

He reminded himself to stay calm as he wandered around the building, knowing that letting his panic rise would only cloud his thoughts irrationally. His first choice of search was the Chuunin lounge, considering that things may have gotten too much for Iruka, and he'd taken a break. If Mizuki had gone searching for him and found him there, he wasn't foolish enough to hurt Iruka in the public's eye.

Stepping into the doorway, he inwardly cursed when he found several anonymous Chuunin. He quickly turned, ignoring the fact that he was being glared at all over again.

His next choice was the Jounin lounge; Iruka could have gone _there_, cleverly thinking that Mizuki wouldn't have the courage to upset any of Genma's friends. He sped up his pace, sprinting down the long corridor and swinging into the doorway with a soft pant. His eye widened when he realised he'd just walked in on a minor argument between Raidou and Genma, the scarred-faced man's head hidden in his arms, with his lover desperately trying to comfort him. When the two Jounins sensed his presence, they quickly looked up, arms untangling instinctively.

"Genma," Kakashi breathed, hoping his apology for the disturbance was shown in his eye. "Have you seen Iruka around?"

Genma's eyebrow rose at the unexpected question. "Is he not in the mission room? He was in there earlier."

"I just looked, but he's not there," Kakashi quickly scanned the corridor again. He turned back to the 'secret' couple. "What about Mizuki? Have you seen him?"

"No," Genma frowned. "What's going on?"

"Have you looked in the Chuunin lounge?" Raidou asked hopefully. "I know Iruka uses the coffee machine there a lot."

"He's not there!" Kakashi growled in frustration.

"What's going on, Kakashi?" Genma asked again with growing concern.

The Copy Ninja let out the breath he'd been holding in. He studied the senbon-user's worried eyes and looked away in doubt; he trusted them, but it wasn't his secret to tell. "It's nothing," he murmured and turned away. "Thanks anyway!" he called out as he sprinted down the corridor again.

Genma's eyes squinted suspiciously, and he quickly turned to his lover. "I'm gonna go after him." He stood up from the chair, but a soft hand grabbed his wrist.

"Don't," Raidou's eyes glared weakly. "He's caused enough trouble today," he said quietly, referring to Mizuki.

Genma sighed deeply. "It was bound to come out sooner or later, Rai," he reasoned, stealing a troubled glance at the door. "I think Iruka and Mizuki had a bust up. He was sitting alone in the mission room today, and I caught them all ganging up on him."

Raidou blinked, mirroring his lover's concern. "What does Kakashi have to do with it?"

"It's a long story," Genma shrugged but sighed when he received a stubborn look. "Alright, apparently he came onto Iruka, and I think that's why they've split up. Now they've both gone missing and," his eyes darkened. "You know what Mizuki's like."

"Kakashi can sort it out," Raidou protested. "Please, just stay out of it. You won't get off so lightly this time if he winds you up again."

"I won't let him wind me up!" Genma gritted his teeth, gently snatching his arm away. "I'll be right back, alright? I promise." He turned and ran out of the Jounin lounge to catch up with Kakashi.

"Genma!" Raidou hissed and slapped a hand to his face, wondering how things had managed to go so wrong all of a sudden. Jumping to his feet, he went after them, knowing of his lover's temper and how Mizuki knew _exactly_ which buttons to press.

"Kakashi!"

The Jounin turned and felt the familiar sense of appreciation rush through him as Genma came sprinting down the corridor. His eyebrow rose when he noticed Raidou following behind with a sincerely pissed look on his face. The two Jounins stopped before him.

"Look everywhere confined," Genma ordered in a new voice of authority. "Start with the exam room – both of them should have the keys to get in there."

Kakashi's eye widened; he hadn't thought of that. With a small, appreciative nod, he turned again and shot down the corridor with a strong dose of chakra.

Raidou stared widely at his lover, surprised at the sudden change of tone in his voice; whatever was going on had seriously kicked up his instincts.

"Raidou," Genma turned to his lover. "Check every empty classroom."

"Hai." Raidou nodded firmly and ran down the opposite path of the corridor.

Genma's twirled his senbon with his tongue as he studied both ends of the corridor, thinking carefully on where else they could be. A thought suddenly flickered in his mind, and he ran down the side Kakashi had chosen, passing the door the man had exited. There was a hideout behind the cave of the Hokage faces, kept empty and carefully hidden for the safety of Konoha citizens during an attack; if Mizuki was really angry about their break up, that would be the perfect place to 'resolve' it.

He didn't know exactly what Mizuki was capable of, but from the atmosphere in the mission room and the way Iruka almost flinched out of his skin when he finally noticed Genma earlier, it seemed likely that there was a confrontation waiting to happen, and Mizuki was waiting for the right moment.

He ran through the corridor, keeping his eyes sharp for any other places to look. A flash of silver suddenly caught his eye, and he skidded along the floor. In the blink of an eye, he leaped over to the side and slapped his hands together, using a camouflage-styled jutsu to blend himself into the wall.

Mizuki closed the bathroom door behind him and sighed deeply, running long, pale fingers through his hair.

Genma frowned; did he look… distressed? His question was answered when the Chuunin let out a frustrated growl and forced a heavy foot against the door with a loud bang. He then turned on his heel and stomped down the corridor, spitting out a thick ball of saliva to the floor.

Genma watched carefully, waiting for the figure to turn the corner. He glanced at the bathroom door, realising that they had been in there the whole time. The temptation to confront Mizuki right then and there was practically _begging_ him. How the hell the Chuunin had found out about his relationship with Raidou was beyond him, but to announce it in public when they'd worked so hard to keep it secret… But his lover's words washed through his memory, advising him to leave it alone. Despite his anger, his clean record was more important to him than a lowly, scum Chuunin.

When Mizuki disappeared, he stepped out from against the wall with a small pop and made his way to the bathroom. Opening the door, his eyes quickly scanned the empty room and darted over to the closed door of the stall. A shadow crossed his heart, immediately piecing together the possibilities.

x—

_What the hell is going on? _Raidou asked himself for the third time.

Citizens passed by, along with various Chuunin ranks carrying heavily stacked reports and messages for the Hokage. The village was busy, seeming to not have a care in the world for any inconvenience.

He checked every classroom, twice. He circled a small lap from the mission room to the Hokage towers, knowing that behind those faces remained hidden and confined, as Genma had ordered him to look out for. Now he stood in the middle of the village, having no clue where Kakashi and Genma were, or Iruka and Mizuki, for that matter.

As much as he respected Kakashi, he couldn't help but feel irritated at the favour he was asking from himself and Genma. According to what he'd heard, it was Kakashi who had been the cause of Iruka and Mizuki splitting up; were they not entitled to try and resolve the matter privately?

Although he held his own disliking towards Mizuki, the thought of losing Genma to someone else was painful enough, so he understood that the Chuunin just wanted a chance to make things work again. If that threatened Kakashi, then it was his own problem. The only reason he was convinced to take this situation seriously was the tone Genma had used.

_You know what Mizuki's like._

On the contrary, Raidou didn't know much about Mizuki at all, nor did he care to know. But Genma knew Mizuki quite well; he'd figured out the Chuunin a long time ago, so if his lover was convinced that something was wrong, then Raidou was more than willing to stand by him, every single time.

"Raidou!" a voice called, pulling him away from his chain of thoughts.

He turned to follow the voice and saw his lover running towards him from the distance. With a small gasp, Raidou ran to meet him.

"Where's Kakashi?" he heard his lover call out and finally stopped in his tracks. His eyes pierced into Raidou's, trembling from one to the other in desperation for an answer.

Raidoi blinked at the expression, noticing the sudden lack of colour in the man's face. "I don't know," he muttered uselessly. When he failed to receive the next order on where to search, his eyebrows knitted in concern at the distressed Jounin. "Genma?"

Genma's eyes flickered to the ground as he caught back his breath, lost in his disturbed thoughts. His eyes lifted again, staring numbly into Raidou's. "I found Iruka."

Raidou's eyes widened. "Where?"

"I'll show you," Genma breathed. "We need to find Kakashi first."

His lover nodded uncertainly and looked around the busy village with a strained sigh.

"Wait!" Genma's eyes suddenly shot wide open, waking him from his shaken thoughts. "Where does Mizuki live?" he thought out loud, considering that Kakashi could have gone there to search.

Raidoi frowned. "How should I know?"

"Oh for fuck sake!" The senbon user hissed. He had no chance of anyone telling him where his 'rival' lived. "Have you looked in the hideout behind the Hokage faces?" he asked hopefully.

"I did," his hopeful face faded. "But there was no one there."

"Shit!" Genma hissed again, glaring at the scenery. "Right, we'll have to circle the village and hope we run into him."

With a firm nod, the two shinobi raced through the village, keeping their eyes sharp for a flash of silver. Genma was getting more anxious by the minute, worried that someone else would find Iruka, that Mizuki might go back there…

His eyes tightened into a hateful glare, and he sped up his pace, ignoring the unexpected protest as Raidou boosted his chakra to keep up with him.

As they ran through the village, they both stopped and stared as the familiar flash of silver shot past them over the tops of the roofs.

"That's him!"

"Kakashi!" Genma shouted as they leaped up onto the roof.

The Copy Ninja stopped in his tracks, turning to his Jounin friends with a heavy, exhausted sigh. "Anything?" he murmured tiredly, but the glimmer of hope flashed through his eye.

"I found him!"

His eye widened and in the blink of an eye, he was standing before the two Jounins. "Where?" he asked desperately.

Genma's eyes flickered in hesitation. His thoughts hadn't gotten as far as how he would tell Iruka's lover about this. "I'll show you," he murmured and quickly leaped off the roof again, the determined Copy Ninja following speedily behind.

Opening the bathroom door again, Genma stepped aside and glanced over to an anxious Kakashi. He bit his lip uncomfortably and motioned to the stall door. Kakashi's eye followed the movement, his gaze burning into the long wooden door.

"He's unconscious," Genma said quietly, and Kakashi felt his stomach twist painfully.

He ran over to the door and swung over it with a skilful jump, landing in a crouched position. The sight that welcomed him caught the Jounin off guard, and with a sharp gasp, he flinched, hitting his back against the door with a rattled click.

"Kakashi?" Raidou called out in a worried voice.

"Don't," Genma whispered knowingly.

Iruka's face was buried into his bag, his open locks flared over his shoulders in knotty strands. His flak jacket was scattered into the corner of the stall, leaving his navy sweater rolled up to his chest, revealing the smooth curves of the man's hips, painted in deep red bruising from some kind of vice-grip. Kakashi's eye dared to move to the man's thighs, and he let out a shaky breath. The blood was smeared down his thighs, mixed with white patches that swirled through the red lines.

"Shit," his voice came out in a muffled high pitch as he clamped a gloved hand over his mouth, frozen on the floor.

He let out a long, shuddered breath and shifted onto his knees, his shaking hands daring to touch the delicate figure. Slipping his hands beneath the man's chest, he gently turned him onto his back, moving the unconscious body over his lap. He supported Iruka's head in the crook of his elbow and carefully moved the free strands of hair from his face. His lips were parted slightly, eyes gently closed with damp blotches of tears soaked in the deep lines of dark bags. A red mark stained his cheek, smudged over the skin from the shoulder-bag pressed against his face.

A pale thumb gently stroked along the mark, spreading the coat of damp blood onto his thumb. The cold skin sent a shiver through his hand; he was freezing from lying on the cold, tiled floor all this time. Kakashi's wide eye stared down at him, his lips trembling underneath his mask, trying to grasp his broken breaths. He took a gentle hold of the Chuunin's arms to bring them together, to warm him up with his own body heat. A flash of white caught his eye and he gazed down to Iruka's hand, observing the scrunched up piece of tissue clenched between cold fingers. The tissue was caked in blood that trickled down the pale fingers and in between the knuckles. It looked as though the Chuunin had tried to clean himself but passed out once he realised how much damage had been done.

Kakashi swallowed hard, pulling the unconscious man tightly close to warm him. His face buried into Iruka's shoulder, trying to detect the man's distinctive scent to calm his nerves, but the only scent he could smell was the blood.

"What's going on?" a clueless Raidou asked, looking from the door to Genma.

The senbon-user sighed and walked up to the door. "Kakashi?" he whispered softly. "You need any help?"

He heard a small click, and the door slowly creaked open. Genma's chest tightened at the scene before him; the Chuunin wrapped protectively in Kakashi's strong, supportive arms. Raidou took an awkward step inside to get a glimpse at the situation and gaped shockingly at the scene. The Jounin looked up at them with a wide, panicked eye, his shoulders trembling.

"Kakashi," Raidou breathed, eyeing the unconscious figure. "Check his pulse, make sure it's at a steady pace."

The information took a second to register, and Kakashi slowly turned his gaze back to the Chuunin. He felt sick; knowing that Iruka didn't want to come in today, that he had made him. He had manipulated him into going, falsely convincing him that it would be alright.

"Kakashi!" Genma yelled in frustration at the lack of 'help.' He crouched down beside them and placed the back of his hand against Iruka's cheek. "He's a little cold, but it's probably from the floor." He pressed his thumb gently into the man's wrist, feeling the soft thump. "His pulse isn't steady, but it's not too slow." He looked up at Kakashi. "We need to get him out of here."

With a hesitant nod, Kakashi gently passed the unconscious Chuunin into Genma's arms. He wasn't in the right state of mind to think clearly, to help. He stood up and stepped back as Raidou entered the stall and crouched down beside Genma, carefully re-dressing Iruka's bottoms.

Another step back. The clenching of his stomach was getting tighter. He took a couple of breaths to calm himself, but it wasn't working. His eyes tightened, and he abruptly turned, exiting the bathroom; he trusted Genma and Raidou to watch over Iruka while he resolved the other side of the matter.

Genma stared at the empty doorway. "I need to go after him," he murmured. "Before he does something stupid."

Raidou met his eyes weakly. "Make sure _you_ don't do anything stupid," he warned, now understanding the circumstances.

x—

The door slammed open. Kakashi scanned the room, noticing the small amount of shinobi in the room, and of course, Santa's little helpers. Mizuki's head had shot up as soon as the door opened, almost expecting the Jounin to come looking for him. Immediately, the Chuunin's eyes tightened challengingly, confident around his witnesses. Unfortunately for him, witnesses weren't on Kakashi's concerned mind right now.

As he walked over to the Chuunin, Mizuki quickly stood up from his chair and took a cowardly step back behind the desk, glaring at him warningly. Izumo and Kotetsu stared cluelessly at the confrontation and quickly stood up from their chairs as well; confused at what was going on but eager to stand by their friend.

"You're a fucking animal!" Kakashi hissed viciously, unfazed by the back up and the other shinobi scattered around them. His body felt as though it was on fire, every nerve triggered, and his instincts riled up.

"Fuck off, Hatake," Mizuki murmured deeply, but his glare was replaced by surprise when the Jounin suddenly appeared before him, their noses almost touching.

The Chuunin stole a safety glance at their audience and glared back at Kakashi.

"Tell them all," the Jounin hissed, disregarding Iruka's feelings on the matter. "Tell them all what you've just done."

Izumo and Kotetsu blinked.

Mizuki suddenly smirked. "Don't tell me he pulled _that_ one on you," He cocked his head, raising an eyebrow as rehearsed. "I did tell you, didn't I? He'll always come running back to me."

Kakashi's lips parted under his mask at the Chuunin's words. He'd expected anything from Mizuki, but not for him to so coldly claim that Iruka had asked for it.

"Kakashi!" a voice suddenly called behind him, but he ignored it.

He grabbed a harsh fistful of silver hair and swung Mizuki towards the desk, slamming his face into the hard surface. He felt the spine-chilling pleasure rush through him at the _crunch_ that echoed around the mission room, along with the pained yelp that followed.

The whole mission room gasped. Izumo and Kotetsu stared wide-eyed at the scene.

"Kakashi!" Genma shouted again with wide eyes. He quickly ran towards the desk, leaping over to grab hold of the Jounin.

But Kakashi kept a tight grip, keeping the Chuunin's face pressed into the hard wood, hoping that broken nose would mold into the slanted position it had been squashed into. His tight, visible eye turned to Izumo and Kotetsu, who stiffened at the intense look. Kakashi's lips tugged into a dark smirk underneath his mask.

"If you want to step in and help him, now's the time to do so," he growled fiercely, like a leader of a pack.

Both Chuunins hesitantly glanced down at Mizuki and looked back at Kakashi with wide eyes.

"Kakashi," Genma's voice finally registered as a firm hand squeezed his shoulder. "Let go," he said calmly, glancing cautiously between Kakashi and Mizuki. "It's not worth it."

The strike against the desk had washed out most of the Jounin's adrenaline, and so he nodded firmly, understanding Genma's words. With a swift movement, he ripped Mizuki away from the desk and let the Chuunin stumble to keep his balance from the rough toss. He walked around the desk towards the door, getting back his breath. He kept his eyes on the door, ignoring the staring audience and the urge to run back in there and show Mizuki _exactly_ who he was dealing with.

Genma quickly followed, though his expression was a little more anxious than Kakashi's. This wasn't the end – Mizuki wouldn't let it end like this.

Mizuki panted fiercely as he watched the two Jounins exit the room. He moved his hand from his face, examining the blood smeared across his palm from his broken nose.

"M-Mizuki?" Izumo called weakly, and his green eyes shot up at him. Izumo blinked nervously.

Mizuki wiped his hand along his bottoms and steadily pulled himself to his feet. He looked around the room, feeling the questioning gazes that came his way.

"I just can't win, can I?" he growled at his audience, swinging an angry finger towards the door.

Kotetsu swallowed back the nervous lump. "What's going on, Mizu?"

A loud, sarcastic laugh escaped Mizuki's lips, and he shook his head. "He said he wanted me back," he laughed again at the 'irony.'

"'I want you inside me,' that's what he said!" he growled in anger, glaring at the door and back to his audience. "So I gave him what he wanted, as always! And he goes back to his new little boyfriend and claims I've _raped_ him!'"

His audience stared shockingly.

He sighed deeply and turned away, wiping his sleeve over his bloody nose.

"Mizu…" Izumo breathed.

"Forget it," Mizuki croaked, glancing up at his friends with a weak smirk. "I never was enough, was I?"

x—

"I think we should take him to a doctor," Raidou said quietly. "He could have caught anything from that floor."

The three Jounins stared down at the sleeping Iruka, tucked up underneath the sheets of Genma and Raidou's double bed. Raidou had insisted on taking him back here, the Jounin confident that Iruka would feel safer waking up here.

"What do you think, Kakashi?" Genma asked weakly, glancing up at the silver haired Jounin.

The question was barely a whisper to Kakashi's ear, his attention focused on the sleeping Chuunin.

"Kakashi?"

His eye flickered back to Genma in startle.

Genma blinked at the distracted attitude. "Do you think we should take him to a doctor?"

His eye looked back to Iruka in hesitation. "No," he whispered hoarsely, knowing that Iruka wouldn't want anyone else knowing. It was bad enough that Genma and Raidou now knew his secret. "I'll clean him."

Genma and Raidou nodded hesitantly, recognizing the firm tone in his voice. "Everything you need will be in the first aid kit," Raidou whispered.

"What are we going to do about Mizuki?" Genma finally asked.

"I don't know," Kakashi murmured quietly. "Can you please just leave?"

Genma and Raidou glanced uneasily at each other and nodded softly, understanding that he wanted to be left alone. They quickly turned and exited the room, following each other down the stairs to give them some privacy.

"Do you want a drink?" Genma asked as he headed to the kitchen.

Raidou didn't answer but just stared into space. He couldn't believe how naïve he had been, to think that Mizuki had just wanted a private talk with Iruka. A thought lingered in the back of his mind, wondering if this had been the first time Mizuki had done something like that. He'd always known Iruka to be quiet, withdrawn from everyone except Mizuki and his friends. But he was a Chuunin, a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village; how could he let himself be so controlled by another?

x—

Kakashi opened up the first aid kit and looked through it. He nervously glanced at Iruka and looked back to the box, picking up a pair of thin, rubber gloves. He took out various bottles of healing gels and quickly read through each label, searching for the right one. Placing them down on the bed, he disappeared into the bathroom and shortly returned with clean hands and a damp cloth. His eye looked over to the sleeping Chuunin, took a deep breath, and approached the bed.

He carefully pulled back the sheets and shifted Iruka's bottoms slowly down his legs with small, gentle tugs now and then to pull down the material trapped underneath the man. He felt his heart race as he gazed down at the Chuunin's blood stained briefs and slowly dragged them down along the smooth, tanned thighs. He turned the younger man over fully onto his stomach and placed a light hand over the cheeks, gently parting them. He winced at the dried, crispy blood that surrounded the loose entrance, reminding him of his anger for Mizuki.

Slapping on the glove, he let out a shaky breath and unscrewed the bottle lid. He squeezed a large amount onto his finger and smeared the substance over, around, and down to the knuckle. He gulped, staring down at those tanned thighs and the soft creases that curved from between them.

It was just cleaning and healing, but it felt so awkward. He let out a small sigh; he'd forced Iruka to run into the battlefield – it was his responsibility to clean the wounds. A shaky hand returned to Iruka's cheeks, and he parted them again. He placed his fingertip to the tender hole, letting out a small, hesitant whine.

He needed to do this.

Finally, he reasoned with himself again and slowly slipped his finger into the delicate hole, gently pressing into the tender skin to feel for any tearing. When his knuckle pressed against the ring, he slowly wriggled his finger, smearing the healing gel around the bruised walls.

He gently slipped his finger out again and took off the glove before picking up the damp cloth. He dabbed it lightly over the delicate hole and around the soft skin of the tanned thighs, cleaning up the dried blood.

Picking up the discarded underwear and bottoms, he grimaced at the stains painted over them. He placed them down neatly on the floor and tiptoed over to the other end of the room towards the drawers.

If Raidou had insisted on them staying here, then surely he'd understand. He quickly searched through the drawers and found an old, worn-out pair of pyjama bottoms. Walking back to the bed, his eye flickered over to the tangled strands of chocolate hair, sized perfectly for a clenched fist. He looked around and picked up a stray hairbrush from the nightstand. As he sat back down on the bed, he placed the brush down beside him and unfolded the pyjamas. With a gentle touch, he turned the brunette back over onto his back, his eye watching the man's face carefully for any sign of discomfort. Iruka's chest rose and fell, breathing steadily now that he was laid against the warm sheets. Kakashi found himself following the movement with his eye, struggling to swallow the lump stuck at the back of his throat. He looked so fragile, so delicate, and the Jounin dreaded the moment those tired eyes would open and look up at him in hurt and betrayal.

He knew he failed. He knew it.

He didn't mean to.

He thought he had everything under control. He thought Iruka would be safe in a public environment. But he was wrong. He failed him.

Slowly extending a shaky hand, he stroked his knuckles lightly along the brunette's cheek, feeling the warm skin tingle against his own.

"I'm sorry," the whisper was barely heard, lost somewhere in his throat.

He distracted himself from his thoughts, feeding the Chuunin's feet through the pyjamas and pulling them gently along his thighs. A hand slipped underneath the man, holding the dip of his back as he lifted him slightly to hook the hem around his waist. Settling Iruka against the bed again, he crawled over to the pillows and sat down beside him, fingering the hairbrush awkwardly. He carefully rolled the Chuunin onto his side so that his back was facing him and began threading the bristles through the knotted strands.

The tangles were stubborn, refusing to come loose without a fight, but Kakashi remained patient. His fingers caressed the soft stands as they came loose tingling the sensitive tips. It felt strange, having his fingers against something so soft, so fragile. As the bristles rolled along the strands, he turned his hand over and watched the hair travel up, tickling his palm. It felt different to the cold, hard hilt he usually felt clenched in his hand, thrusting at the most vicious speed to bury into the neck of an enemy. The blade aroused his excitement; he enjoyed the feel of the enemy's life in his hands. The chocolate locks against his fingers warmed his stomach, feeling the other's life in his hands, guarded and protected with all his strength at this very moment.

He wondered if Mizuki had ever done this for him. If Iruka had ever sat between his ex-lover's knees and closed his eyes as the hairbrush ran through his hair.

If so, was it before or after they were ripped from their roots? Or used as a handle? To pull, to hold him still, or simply used to help throw Iruka across the room until he'd learned his lesson.

His eye tightened into a glare, but his hands remained gentle as he worked over the last knot tangled between the fine strands.

Kakashi had only had one 'relationship' in his life, which lasted approximately three hours. At the age of fifteen, his sensei had finally persuaded him to ask the local flower-shop girl on a date. Looking back, he could see that Minato was worried for his student's isolated attitude and wanted to add a little brightness to the young shinobi's life. And so, he was shuffled over to the entrance of the shop and spied on by his grinning sensei as he stuttered out his rehearsed lines. The date was, in Kakashi's opinion, the most awkward moment of his life; he embarrassed her with his choice of accessories; a dark, silk eye patch to cover his sharingan, and a matching coloured mask which he refused to remove when it was time to eat. When his date had gathered that he had seen none of her favourite films, heard none of her favourite music, and personally didn't see the point in buying flowers 'that will only die eventually,' she suddenly remembered that there was something she needed to do at home. As he stood in his sensei's doorway announcing that he'd failed his mission and explaining how and why, the determined Minato took their task further and introduced his student to a guidebook on how to win the heart of another.

And so, thanks to Icha Icha Paradise, Kakashi had learned the basics of how love really works; Junko's heart was torn and sewed back together many times, but her love for her man never faded.

Was that the reason why? After all of the pain Mizuki put him through, Iruka continued to keep running back to the man? Because his love for Mizuki never faded?

He paused his grooming and stared into space, lost in his thoughts. He didn't understand this at all. How could Iruka love someone so cold, so dark? How could he see past so much damage?

How could he love a liar?

A bully?  

Then again who was he to judge Iruka when he, himself, was no better than Mizuki, probably even worse. He was a killer who enjoyed taking a life with his bare hands. He took pleasure in the adrenaline rush that shivered through his body as his blade sliced deep into the tender skin of an enemy's throat. He was a fighting device for his Hokage, programmed to steal, to deceive, to murder.

_But..._

His eye flickered back to the sleeping Chuunin.

If Iruka could love a lying and abusive bully, would he be able to love _him_?

His involvement with Iruka had opened his eyes to more than he had imagined. When he had first seen the Chuunin standing in his doorway covered in blood and tears, Kakashi knew that his priority was to heal the wounds, clean up the blood, and stop the crying. Of course, doing that would mean having to talk to the man and ask what had happened. He tried to the best of his abilities to behave in the clearest definition of 'normal' he could think of; to speak in a soft, caring voice and offer some supportive physical contact. The brush of his fingers on Iruka's arm to calm the nerves, to help the man feel his support as well as see it.

He had always enjoyed his solitude, mostly because he had adapted to it over the years. His only social life took place in his books.

But it was that night that Icha Icha Paradise had really let him down. Most of his words spoken to Iruka, and the supportive touches he made had been learned over the years from Junko's time of need for comfort. He realised that he had led Iruka on, imitating a romance novel as his only source of 'normal.'

He understood now why Iruka was so angry with him and why he had left his home so abruptly. And as the Chuunin slammed the door closed, leaving Kakashi sitting in the middle of his living room, he felt a sudden coldness he'd never felt before. It was the empty space inside of him that he had never realised was there.

With a small sigh, he draped the blankets back over Iruka's body, tucking in the edges to keep in the warmth. He slipped off from the bed and tiptoed out of the room, closing the door behind him to give the Chuunin the peace and quiet he needed.

x—

Genma and Raidou were sitting on the sofa, and from what Kakashi guessed, in another argument. They both looked up at him questioningly, wanting to know the situation on the Chuunin's health.

"He's alright," Kakashi confided, taking a seat on an empty corner chair. His eye flickered back to his friends questioningly. "Still unconscious though."

"Give him some time," Genma nodded firmly. "He's had a bit of a shock."

There was a small pause of silence, each person thinking of the same question but waiting for the other to ask it.

Genma went right ahead. "What are we going to do about Mizuki?" He looked from Raidou to Kakashi with troubled eyes. "You know, he won't forget what you did in the mission room."

Raidoi grudgingly rolled his eyes at the déjà vu; Genma had been reprimanded for attacking Mizuki before. Kakashi had just thrown the man's face into the desk!

"I know," Kakashi murmured bluntly and let out a sigh. "What makes it worse is that he has the entire village wrapped around his finger. I can't see any way of reasoning with them; he'll just beat us to it." He looked back to his friends in hesitation before his eye tightened firmly, feeling his stomach twisting in anticipation. "I say we just get rid of him."

"What?" Raidou's eyes widened at the absurd comment. His eyes shot over to Genma. "Did you hear that?"

"What exactly do you mean?" Genma asked, ignoring his lover's question.

"Don't you dare agree!" Raidou gasped, standing up from the chair to give both of them his famous teacher look. "Look, I'm with you both that what Mizuki has done is wrong, but you can't _murder_ a Leaf comrade!"

"Who said anything about murder?" Kakashi's eyebrow rose in a lazy manner.

Raidou's lips parted like a goldfish. "Then what exactly are you talking about?"

Genma's head tilted slightly in interest as he gazed back to the Copy Ninja.

Kakashi's eye sank to the floor in deep thought; the image of Iruka sprawled out on the bathroom floor flickering through his mind. He'd let the Chuunin down once, and he wouldn't do it again. He owed Iruka, and he was going to make sure his payment was something that truly made a difference. Glancing back up to his comrades, he inwardly nodded to himself, already thinking over his plan.

"I say we frame him."


	7. Chapter 7

Beta-credit: Althea17  
- Fanfiction . net/u/244391/Althea17  
- althea17 . livejournal . com/  
- Thank you!  
x—

Long, pale fingers traveled through the dark strands, gently swirling them around the tips and in between his knuckles. Kakashi's eye watched intently, fascinated by the tingling sensation as the strands sawed lightly through the sensitive skin between each of his fingers.

He had retreated back to his comrade's room after they had shared their 'heated debate' on what their next step was to end this battle with Mizuki. Raidou had made it clear that he had no interest in involving himself or Genma in Kakashi's plan to get rid of the Chuunin, but Kakashi could see in Genma's eyes that the senbon user was actually considering the plan. However, as Raidou seemed to be in the most rational state of mind at that time, he decided that they were not to speak on the matter again until tomorrow when they all had time to calm down and think over exactly what they were saying. Kakashi agreed that it was a fair decision; his clouded judgement had already dictated enough of his actions for the day, but the Jounin knew that his choice of punishment for Mizuki was going to happen eventually.

Like those years ago, when he'd lost those dear to him, Kakashi wished he could turn back the time. He wished that he had done more to protect Iruka, but he honestly believed that jumping into an undeclared fight would only make things worse. He had tried to be the bigger man and just walk away, to let Mizuki see for himself that he had already lost what he was fighting for. He presumed too much, and in doing so, he'd turned a blind eye to Iruka's suffering.

'No more,' he thought to himself as he gazed at Iruka's soft, delicate features. Mizuki had now declared this fight, and Kakashi was going to win, no matter what.

A sudden deep sigh from the brunette caught him off guard, and he quickly withdrew his hand. His eye stared widely at the sleeping Chuunin, distantly wondering at which point he had allowed his guard to drop and how he hadn't even noticed. He felt panic rise within him, and at first, he honestly couldn't remember why. The Chuunin had been unconscious for the past four hours, giving him plenty of time to struggle through one deep thought after another.

As the brunette slurred softly and his eyes finally fluttered open, all Kakashi could do was stare. His breath had disappeared somewhere in his throat, now recognizing his panic as those warm, brown eyes locked into his own, waiting for the blurred vision to stop spinning.

'Please.' Kakashi's eyes softened pleadingly. 'Don't hate me.'

A tired, adorable smile suddenly formed on Iruka's lips at the sight of the Copy Ninja laying so close. He closed his eyes again and sunk back into the pillow, enjoying the warmth under the sheets.

Kakashi stared at him, deeply confused and worried.

"I-ruka?" he whispered.  

"Five more minutes…"

The quiet, lazy response made his worry grow. He had prepared himself for every reaction in the world, but not _this_. He studied the man for a brief moment, concerned at the Chuunin's calmness.

He felt his panic rise again, wondering if Iruka even remembered what had happened. Throughout his years as a shinobi, he'd known of the damage that can linger for years in one's mind after such a thing. He knew that some come to terms with their nightmares and learn to put them behind, but some burn the memory into the back of their mind, lost forever in their thoughts. But whatever effect were to take the Chuunin, it would be _his _fault.

"Are you… okay?" he asked carefully.

Hearing his question and the hesitant tone, Iruka's eyes opened again and glanced up at Kakashi. He froze, staring into that single, troubled eye. The surroundings then caught his attention when he realised they were not in the Jounin's bedroom. His breath disappeared in his throat as he nervously glanced around the room and back to that guilty eye that hadn't moved.

Something was wrong. He could see it in Kakashi's eye.

He attempted to move, but a dull pain shot through him. He froze again, his trembling eyes averting to the shadowed sheets underneath the duvet. He could feel something down there, inside of him; something wet, warm…

A long, shuddered breath escaped his lips, and his eyes began to water as the memory flooded through his mind.

Kakashi swallowed back the thick lump in his throat, desperate to know what the man was thinking.  
_  
Did he remember?_

"K-kashi," he called out in a high, panicked voice as he forced himself to sit up.

Kakashi immediately sat up, his wide eye watching the man cautiously.

"There's-" Iruka cut himself off, whimpering weakly and sliding a shaky hand underneath the back of his bottoms. "Get it out!" he cried out, the tears finally falling.

Realisation suddenly flooded in, and Kakashi took a gentle but firm hold of his wrist. "Iruka, stop," he murmured softly, trying to hide the panic in his voice. "It's not… _that;_ it's healing gel." A pale thumb brushed along the delicate wrist, gazing anxiously as Iruka took in his words.

There was a long, stretched silence as Iruka stared down at the warm material covering his lap, realising that Kakashi had cleaned away Mizuki's seed. The tears flooded again, and he sniffled harshly, the last of his dignity scraped away at the mortifying understanding. A shuddered breath escaped his lips as he tried to keep his voice steady.

"W-Why are you here?" he whispered miserably. His fingers curled tightly into the duvet, as though he was trying to grasp back his crumbs of dignity.

"What do you mean?" Kakashi breathed, feeling the painful twist in his gut again. He'd do anything to take back his failure, to have stopped it… 'Please,' his mind begged again. 'Don't send me away.'

"I-I tried to be the person you t-thought I was," the brunette whispered again in a cracked voice. "I t-tried to be strong, I tried to be…" _Be like you._

"B-But." His voice disappeared in his throat, and he whimpered uselessly, burying his face behind his arms to block out his surroundings. "I'm pathetic," he cried out in a muffled voice, the words seeping out from the bottom of his heart.

Kakashi's chest tightened at the solid belief in the man's voice. "No," he murmured softly, lifting a hand to Iruka's knee, but the brunette jerked it away.

"I bring shame to my rank," he hissed, and Kakashi detected the sudden anger in his voice. "I'm always the o-one who needs saving, always the one who n-needs picking up… First _him_, and now _you_."

Kakashi observed his words carefully, his previous thoughts on why Iruka had tolerated the abuse for so many years now beginning to make sense. He knew little of Iruka's past before Mizuki, other than the funeral of those killed on the night of the Demon Fox. He remembered standing at the back of the crowd, lined up with his ANBU team to pay his respects towards his sensei. Iruka was enveloped inside the arms of the Third Hokage, his only source of comfort as he cried over his lost parents. As much as he wanted to, Kakashi couldn't cry that day, and so he remained still and silent, feeling the child's pain but letting him cry for both of them.

Just from one single glance, Kakashi could see that the death of his parents had broken Iruka, and he was only still a child at the time.

On the night that Iruka had first shown up on Kakashi's doorstep, the Chuunin had confided that the abuse had been going on for _years_. Kakashi had also seen for himself the control Mizuki held over Iruka before the man had broken their relationship.

He was now convinced that his suspicions were right, that the manipulation had started early, when Iruka was at his most vulnerable state of mind.

Mizuki had taken advantage from that moment, and while Iruka believed that his lover had caught him from his fall, he had really been caught into Mizuki's web.

He felt a shadow cross his heart, pained to realise that Iruka truly believed this was his own entire fault. His eye glanced up at the curled up brunette, and he moved, slowly shuffling over to the man. His chest tightened painfully when the Chuunin's shoulders tensed, hearing his movement. He paused, understanding the gesture.

"Why?" he whispered, fearing the answer.

"I don't deserve your pity," Iruka muffled, tightening his crossed arms to keep his face hidden.

Kakashi's eye weakened. "Please don't push me away…"

There was a small silence as the Jounin stared at him, wishing the man would unwrap himself from his lonely arms. He finally spoke, in a soft, but firm voice.

"You're one of the strongest people I know, Iruka," he murmured, watching carefully for a reaction, a response. The brunette remained silent, though Kakashi hoped it was because he was listening. "It wasn't me who picked you up that day, you did that yourself. You made a decision to change your life, because you didn't like the way it was before – you did that, not me." His eyebrow rose softly. "If you were so pathetic, wouldn't you have preferred to stay where you were, knowing that although it was tough, it would be the safest way?"

He heard a small sigh from the Chuunin and knew he was listening.

"You came to me because you felt you needed help to change your life, and that's not a bad thing."

"That's not why."

Kakashi's eye widened at the sudden response.

"I came to you because…" his arms slowly unfolded, and he glanced up at Kakashi with watery, strained eyes. "You made me feel so safe," he whispered, releasing more tears. "You made me feel so warm inside, so strong… like I could do anything…"

A small, weak smile formed on Kakashi's lips. He had heard those kinds of words before by others, but unlike the praises he usually felt, Iruka's sincerity aroused a different kind of emotion through him.

"I wanted to be just like you," Iruka cut off his thoughts, his soggy eyes staring distantly into the duvet. "To not be afraid of anything, or anyone."

"That isn't true," Kakashi murmured softly, using this heart-to-heart moment to finally move close to the brunette. A strong, pale arm wrapped around the Chuunin and pulled him close.

Iruka allowed the movement, his guard slipped away. He rested his head against Kakashi's chest, a soft sigh escaping his lips as those arms closed protectively around him, enveloping him in the warmth. He closed his eyes, listening to the soft thump of Kakashi's heart.

"Everyone is afraid of something." the Jounin whispered, keeping his voice low.

"…And you?" Iruka asked, secretly eager for the answer to the question he'd often wondered.

A small sigh escaped Kakashi's lips, hesitant to answer. He gazed down at Iruka behind delicate, hooded eyes, taking in his soft features. Considering what the man had just been through, he looked so peaceful right now. Most of his weight leaned against Kakashi, trusting the Jounin not to drop him, to let him fall. His eyes were closed, exposing himself to his vulnerability, but Kakashi's mere presence was enough to reassure him that for now, he was safe.

Kakashi wished he could expose himself like that. He wished he could unravel the bandages from his damaged soul, trusting that those he let touch it would not leave their burning fingerprints. He wished he could explain his clouded thoughts, so that Iruka could help them both understand what it was that he was feeling towards the man. But he was too afraid to let Iruka know of his growing affections.

He had seen how Mizuki had broken Iruka's heart, how he had caused the man so much pain. He wasn't sure if he could take that chance, understanding now that to take a step into a relationship, he would have to hand in his heart and trust that Iruka would know what to do with it. That thought alone scared the shit out of Kakashi because he knew that once he had done that, Iruka would become the one person who could ruin his life.

Iruka's heart sank as the silence stretched on, knowing that Kakashi wouldn't tell him, not tonight anyway. He took a deep breath, inhaling the Jounin's strong scent that his body had become accustomed to. He ran a sore, delicate hand along a small patch of Kakashi's chest, calming him from his hesitation. "It's okay," he whispered, understanding that Kakashi would tell him on his own time. Despite his disappointment, he had sensed the attempted confession, when the subtle Copy Ninja admitted that even he was burdened with _some_ form of fear.

A peaceful silence stretched between them, each man lost in their thoughts. Kakashi's heart clenched tighter, feeling his second failure rise in his guilt. He had let Iruka down again, and he didn't know how to fix it.

The breezing temptation of trusting Iruka was slowly rising, but he couldn't find a way to expose his most vulnerable side. He just couldn't risk letting the Chuunin in, even though he knew it was unfair to demand so many secrets from the Chuunin without offering any in return. But he also knew that losing Iruka could also hurt him more than he was prepared for.

He wanted to know what fears Mizuki had confronted Iruka with; what had happened in the bathroom, what had led up to that moment, what every word exchanged was. He knew that he didn't deserve to know, but he needed to, so that he could find a way to make it right.

"Iruka…"

He felt Iruka's head lift slightly against his chest, eager, as always, to hear what Kakashi had to say.

"Will… will you please tell me what happened?" he finally asked, ashamed for his asking but desperate to know (for Iruka's sake).

Iruka's head dipped slightly, hiding his face into the shadows on the Jounin's shirt. His lips pursed tightly as the memory flickered back to him, disgusted at his own pathetic attempts to get away. He felt a warm, soft hand cup his cheek and slowly lift his head. His damp eyes weakly met Kakashi's, catching the soft, pleading expression.

"Nothing you say will change the way I think of you."

Kakashi's words rushed that familiar sense of security through him, and he couldn't quite suppress the quiet whimper that fell from his lips. He felt so relieved to be in Kakashi's arms, knowing that there was no where else in the world he would rather be right now. No one else's approval mattered to him more than Kakashi's, and so he would trust the Jounin's words, knowing that he had never and would never show any disgrace in his honest eye.

He licked his dry lips, tasting the salty scent from his tears. "He…" His hard breath cut him off, and he inhaled deeply, steadying his voice. "He f-followed me into the bathroom. I didn't realise it until he was standing in f-front of the door."

He felt Kakashi rest his chin lightly against his head, signifying that he was listening carefully.

"We t-talked."

"About what?" his question slipping past his lips before he had noticed.

A shuddered sigh escaped the brunette's lips, fingers clenching Kakashi's shirt. He inhaled the Jounin's scent to calm his nerves and remind himself who he was with.

"About… w-what I'd done," he finally whispered. "He said… he said people would l-laugh at me, if I ever told them what he'd done." His eyes began to water again, and he felt the Jounin's arms tighten around him. "That I would lose my job, for being a cry baby," he forced out in a high pitch as the Chuunin screwed his eyes shut tight, forcing back his shameful tears.

Anger boiled in Kakashi's stomach, furious at Mizuki's plan of manipulation and Iruka's naivety to believe such a thing.

"I'm not laughing," he whispered, rubbing the younger man's back lovingly. "I'm the only one who can see your tears."

His gentle encouragement gave the Chuunin the permission he was almost pleading for to let himself go, and so he did. He buried his face into the Jounin's chest and let out a long, hard sob. Kakashi held him tight, giving Iruka as much time as he needed to let his anger, hurt and shame wash through him. He could feel the hot tears seep through his clothing, and although it pained him to hear the man's cries, he couldn't help but feel so relieved that Iruka had not pushed him away. He forced away his own guilt for now, knowing that his support was more important to Iruka than his apologies right now.

"He…" the word came out as a soft wail, the brunette only at the top of his despair. "He grabbed hold of my hair… I t-tried to f-fight him off, I tried to get to the door, but h-he lifted me up so I couldn't run, and he c-carried me into the bathroom."

A sharp breath escaped Kakashi's lips, his stomach turning at Iruka's broken words.

"H-he pushed me against the w-wall and held my h-hands above my head… a-and then pulled down my bottoms really h-hard. I kept shouting, 'it h-hurts,' but h-he wouldn't stop!" His eyes tightened into a weak glare, and he lowered his head again in what looked like anger and embarrassment. "Every time I tried to struggle, h-he would grab my… my…" He grimaced in humiliation and pain, unable to voice out the word. "…and… and _twist_ it really hard!"

Kakashi mentally winced, almost feeling the jolting pain. His tight eye fell on Iruka again, completely understanding his reluctance to fight.

"I gave up…" Iruka's dark-ringed, soggy eyes slowly looked up at him, pleading for Kakashi to understand. "I c-couldn't do anything! Every time I tried to… he was h-holding it tight and_ twisting_ it every time I dared to move!"

"I know," Kakashi whispered, gently squeezing the man's arm to show his understanding.

"It h-hurt so much…" The mere thought of the memory sent a sudden clenching around his abused area. "Like h-he was… c-cutting me in half!"

"I know," Kakashi repeated weakly, gazing down to the duvet that covered the brunette's lap.

He swallowed thickly, listening to the quiet sniffles that twisted the guilt in his gut.

"I'm sorry…" the words coming out quieter than he had hoped.

He felt Iruka's gaze slowly meet him from the corner of his tight, troubled eye. He sighed deeply and met the man's eyes, revealing his painful regrets.

"I let you down… I was too late to… stop it." His eye weakened into a pleading gaze. "I'm so sorry, Iruka…"

The corners of Iruka's lips twitched faintly into a smile. A shaky hand reached for a pale one, fingers curling lightly around the soft, warm skin. "You d-didn't let me down," he whispered in a broken but sure voice. His eyes moved back to the duvet and slowly flickered over to their hands. "He asked me to go back to him… to… give it another go."

Kakashi bit down on his lip, his teeth sinking lightly into the tender skin.

"I was so scared," Iruka whispered shamefully. "Because I knew that if I didn't give him the answer he wanted, something bad would happen." A single, lonely tear dropped down his cheek, the mere memory of Mizuki's furious eyes sending a cold shiver through him. "But I also knew that if I did… go back with him… then you would walk away from me for good."

Kakashi's chest tightened painfully, remembering those exact words he had threatened Iruka with on the day they had moved him out. He didn't mean it like that. He didn't mean for this to happen. He closed his eye in despair, the guilt finally bursting into its merciless attack.

"No," Iruka reassured with a hand squeeze. Kakashi's eye opened again, gazing down at him weakly. "You told me what I needed to hear… you gave me the reason I needed to say 'no' to him." _You showed me what my life could be like… with you…_

Kakashi sighed and looked away, unsure on what to say. He felt so guilty for being the cause of Mizuki's decision to hurt Iruka, but, equally…

His eyes met Iruka's again, and he swallowed back the thick lump in his throat. "I am _so_ proud of you, Iruka," he voiced his thoughts, tightening his arms around the brunette. "_So _strong…"

Iruka closed his eyes and sighed, burying his face into the Jounin's chest. A small, weak smile formed on his lips at the words he needed to hear from Kakashi, _only_ Kakashi. He could feel the Jounin's warmth against his own body and those strong arms holding him in the way Kakashi felt was most worthy. He was proud of him, and that was all that mattered right now.  
_  
So strong._

He felt it, right now, he felt as big as a mountain.

There was another long, peaceful silence as they took comfort in each other's words and mere presence. The tightness in Kakashi's chest began to loosen a little. He was so relieved to have the man so close. He was so afraid that Iruka would push him away, blame him, hate him…

He glanced down at the delicate Chuunin snuggled against his chest, holding onto him as though he were his oxygen.

He knew too many of Iruka's secrets. He had been pulled into his darkest one. And yet, as much as Kakashi had always hated becoming involved in matters that weren't of his business, there was a part of him that now cherished the fact that Iruka had come to _him_. He had experienced a small taste of how good it felt to have someone so close again, wanting to know the _real_ Kakashi and not the Sharingan warrior. He wanted to share a secret of his own; something that could offer a small fraction of the trust Iruka was giving him, something that would keep him from being burned, and something to see what Iruka would do with this small exposure.

He licked his lips and took in a sharp breath of air before he spoke.

"I'm afraid of… _being_ with people," he murmured weakly, his eye squinting slightly at his own confusing words.

Iruka's head lifted from his chest, his eyes widening at Kakashi's sudden words. He let out a silent gasp, lips parted in desire to speak, to urge Kakashi to continue, but he remained silent, letting the Jounin set his own pace.

Kakashi closed his eyes, searching deep within himself for a better answer, something even _he _could understand. "I have… walls…" he whispered, imagining the large walls in his mind, surrounding him. "They separate me from the world… I can't get out, others can't get in…"

He opened his eyes when he felt the brunette shift and glanced down to see Iruka staring up at him. He looked away awkwardly, unsure how to word it as clearly as it seemed in his mind, and how to understand exactly how Iruka seemed to be slipping through those 'walls.'

Iruka bit his lip, watching Kakashi behind damp lashes. "Can I… try?" he whispered, his voice barely audible, afraid of the answer. He understood that this confession had taken courage; he didn't want to push his luck and make Kakashi feel the need to push him away from how close he already was.

Kakashi looked away, the hesitation clear in his eye. He wasn't sure if he wanted to do this, but the fact that he had felt the need to bring the subject back to the surface questioned what he really wanted.

There were so many things he still needed to know about Iruka. He could see that he was important to the Chuunin, but he wasn't entirely sure why. Was it just the safety he brought to Iruka that the man had often mentioned? Was it the strength he aroused inside the Chuunin that gave him his need to be so close? Or did he truly want more?

The main question that lingered at the back of Kakashi's mind, that had irritated his thoughts to the point where it had raised a new fear, was whether Iruka was still in love with Mizuki. They had shared a long portion of their lives together; surely there was a side to Mizuki that Iruka was once in love with – feelings don't just switch off, and that was what scared Kakashi the most. As much as he cared, he didn't want to be used, convinced that Iruka really wanted him, when in reality, he wanted Mizuki, or just _someone _to offer him the love that he longed for.

But there was another part of him that wanted to believe that Iruka had found the person he had been uselessly searching for in Mizuki. That what Iruka was looking for in a lover was something that only Kakashi could give - no one else.

Finally, he sighed deeply, coming to a decision.

"Yes," he whispered. "You can try."

But he wouldn't make it easy; if Iruka _really_ wanted him, then he would need to show him just how much. He would need to convince Kakashi that he was the only one.

x—

"Same again?"

"Nah," Izumo breathed, placing the empty glass on the counter with a soft clink. "I'm gonna head off."

With a small nod, the barman turned and approached the other customers. Izumo watched lazily, distracted in his thoughts. He sighed, picking up his jacket from the stool next to him and shrugged it on.

"Izu," a voice suddenly called.

He glanced over his shoulder to see his comrade approach from the door. "What's up, Ko?"

His eyebrow rose slightly as his comrade casually took a seat beside him, seeming to have no intentions on calling the barman for attention. Instead, he stared down at the wooden counter, chewing on his bottom lip.

"Mizu wants us around his place in ten minutes," he informed.

Izumo frowned at the unusual meeting spot; it was very rare for Mizuki to invite them into his and Iruka's home.

"What for?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"He wants to talk to us," Kotetsu shrugged.

"Oh…"

They both sat in silence for a long moment, each wondering on why the sudden change of meeting place.

"Do you think he really did it?" Kotetsu whispered, stealing a glance of the pub to make sure he wasn't heard.

"I don't think so," Izumo murmured after a moment's thought. "Mizuki's a bastard," they both knew it, "but not_ that_ much of a bastard, and you know what Iruka can be like." He rolled his eyes. "He'll do anything for attention."

Kotetsu nodded in agreement. "I suppose, but I don't get why he did this in the first place – I mean, Mizuki's given him everything. Why would he throw it all away for someone like Kakashi?"

Izumo shrugged. "It always has been 'trendy' to be seen with a Jounin. Plus, Kakashi's rank earns more money than ours." He glanced up at his friend with a small sigh. "Anyway, we better go and see what Mizuki wants."

x—

A soft knock at the boarded-up door was answered after a short stretch of silence. Izumo and Kotetsu glanced up at the Chuunin in the doorway, observing his tired eyes and tugged-up lips in an attempt of a warm, greeting smirk.

"Everything alright, Mizu?" Izumo broke the silence, raising a concerned brow.

Mizuki inhaled sharply, stealing an open glance of the empty road, as though he were searching for the third member to join their night. His eyes met his friends again, and he stepped to the side of the doorway.

"Come in," he offered in a hoarse, tired voice, which didn't go unnoticed by his friends.

They followed him inside and toed off their sandals before approaching the living room.

The room looked as though a bomb had hit it; scrunched-up clothes were scattered around and on the sofa, with a stuffed bin bag sitting on top of them. There was a broken table with missing legs and its smashed table-lamp laying on its side on the floor. Half empty dinner plates and bowls were all over the floor, waiting to be picked up and washed.

"Drink?"

Their attention was caught by the silver-haired Chuunin, the grieving man standing in the doorway between the living room and kitchen.

"I'm good, thanks." Izumo nodded, watching him meaningfully.

Mizuki ignored the stare and glanced over to Kotetsu. When said Chuunin shook his head, he sighed deeply and lowered his head, brushing a pale hand through his silver strands. Izumo bit his lip, catching the symbolic movement; he was trying to handle Iruka's disposal and accusations emotionally. His friends could at least support him.

"Actually," Izumo mirrored the man's typical warm smirk, trying to lighten the mood a little. "I will have one."

Mizuki met his eyes again and offered a weak nod. "Ko?"

Kotetsu shrugged, glancing from Izumo to Mizuki. "Sure?"

Mizuki nodded and disappeared into the kitchen, leaving them alone in the silent living room. They glanced around again, their concern growing for their friend; he was obviously not handling Iruka's departure well. They looked back to the doorway when Mizuki stepped around the corner, holding three cans of beer in his hands and elbow. He set them down on the table and began piling the scrunched-up clothes on top of each other, making some room on the sofa for his friends.

Izumo and Kotetsu waited patiently, picking up their cans from the cluttered coffee table. A flash of white caught Izumo's eye on the table, and he stole a glance; a small envelope was hidden underneath a screwed-up shirt hanging over the edge. The letters, 'M I Z' were scribbled along the paper, but the rest of the Chuunin's name was hidden underneath the shirt. He quickly turned his eyes away and sat down on the empty space of the sofa, shuffling over for Kotetsu to sit beside him.

Mizuki took a seat on the floor opposite them, the table standing between them. He cracked open his can and took a sip, and then let out a long, satisfied sigh. Finally, his eyes met his friends again, and he raised a soft brow.

"I wanted to apologise about today," he explained in his hoarse voice.

They both nodded weakly, still unsure on what was going on.

"Are you alright, Mizu?" Kotetsu asked in a concerned tone, sensing the roughness of his voice; had he been 'crying'?

"Not really," Mizuki chuckled weakly. The amused expression faded from his face as quickly as it had come. "My boyfriend has left me, and I've been accused of something I haven't done. I feel like shit." He sighed, taking another sip of his beer. "But I wanted to apologise anyway, for making a scene like that."

"Don't worry about it, Mizu," Kotetsu shrugged, swigging on his own drink. "He's just making a fool of himself – we all know it's not true."

"Kakashi thinks it is," Mizuki murmured deeply, his eyes tightening into a weak glare. "And what Jounins say, go."

There was a small, awkward silence before Kotetsu broke it with a sigh. "Kakashi doesn't know shit – whatever Iruka told him… I mean, it just sounds like he did that on purpose to trick you." His eyes softened sympathetically. "He knows you love him, Mizu – he's just trying to make you jealous."

"By accusing me of _rape_?" Mizuki growled, shooting him a small glare.

"No," Izumo cut in, turning their attention to him. "It sounds to me like he's playing you both. I've told you before, he's an attention seeker. He wants to see which of you will fight the most for him, to make him feel better about himself," rolling his eyes. "Pathetic, really." He looked back to Mizuki sternly. "Just don't take the bait – it's what he wants. Show him that you don't need him, and you can start that by cleaning up this place – it's a fucking mess."

Mizuki sighed and nodded weakly. "Yeah, you're right," his eyes fell to the floor, lost in his thoughts. "I just thought he really wanted me back…"

"You can do a lot better than him, Mizu," Izumo murmured. "I've wanted to tell you that for years."

"Yeah, let Kakashi have him," Kotetsu shrugged. "He'll get sick of him by the end of the week, I guarantee you."

"Come on," Izumo sighed, standing up from the sofa and placing his can down on the table. "Let's clean this place up – Ko, help him with those dishes, will you?"

"Sure," his friend shrugged and slipped from the sofa onto his hands and knees to collect the bowls scattered around the floor.

Mizuki picked up the dirty drinking glasses from the mantelpiece, balancing them in his arms. He glanced down to Izumo, then Kotetsu, a deep look in his eye.

"Ko," he called, catching the man's attention. "I don't suppose you could help me wash these?"

Kotetsu rolled his eyes. "Fine, but you owe me," he smirked, cupping the dishes and bowls in his arms and approaching the kitchen.

Izumo watched as they disappeared and listened carefully to the distant clicks and clatters of pottery. His eyes narrowed back to the coffee table, and he carefully lifted a corner of the shirt to swipe out the envelope.

'Mizuki x"

The handwriting was definitely Iruka's, judging from the sharp, slanted scribbling and the typical kiss he often used when passing on notes to Mizuki through himself or Kotetsu. The envelope had already been opened, so Izumo had little trouble sliding out the note from its container, eager to find out anymore clues on what exactly was going on. His eyes narrowed to the colourful, shiny card that slipped out and then widened when he realised what it was.

He had never known Iruka to be so photogenic; the man was shyer than anything. He couldn't believe that he was staring at the same Chuunin.

It had to be one of the shortest yukatas he had ever seen. The deep red material drooped down his shoulders, revealing patches of caramel skin beneath his dark, flared locks. A shy, dirty smirk curved his lips around a long, thin ruler that was sucked between them. He was kneeling down on the bed with his back arched slightly, revealing his excitement that poked out through the delicate folds of the yukata.

Izumo blinked at the new side of the brunette, having definitely not expecting it. He turned the photograph over to explore the back and spotted another message written in the same writing.

'I miss you… Meet me in the bathroom in ten x'

Izumo swallowed thickly, remembering the exact moment Iruka had left the mission room and then Mizuki leaving only minutes later. He knew for a fact that he wouldn't have handed it to Mizuki when they were in the mission room, so he could have done it when they were outside. Mizuki had said that Iruka_ told_ him he wanted him back; maybe he had given him the envelope _then_.

Izumo had always found Iruka to be a nuisance, but never in his life had he wanted to hurt the man so badly. This was Mizuki's life, and he was trying to ruin it with these accusations for his sick, twisted little games.

He let out a heavy sigh, suppressing his anger; he didn't want Mizuki knowing that he had seen it. He shuffled the photo back into the envelope and stuffed it into his vest pocket. The room was a complete mess; Mizuki would just think he had lost it somewhere.

x—

Kotetsu let out a heavy sigh as he looked around the now tidy room, personally pleased with the result.

"Thanks a lot, guys," Mizuki murmured, his voice a little softer. "I appreciate it."

"No problem." Kotetsu smirked, picking up his vest and shrugging it on. "Well, I'm gonna call it a night – I'm exhausted," he chuckled. "You coming, Izu?"

"Yeah, sure." Izumo nodded, finishing off his can of beer. He glanced over to Mizuki and offered the man a warm smirk, shuffling his hands into his pockets. "Don't worry about anything, Mizu. I'm gonna take care of it for you. In the mean time, just stay away from him, alright?"

Mizuki blinked, frowned, and then nodded in confusion. "Alright…" He smirked weakly. "Thanks a lot, Izu."

"No problem. Oh, and Mizu…" He picked up one of the stuffed bags of Iruka's clothes and chucked it onto the floor. "Put these away, okay?"

"Will do." Mizuki nodded and turned towards the doorway. Opening the door, he offered his friends one last appreciative glance and a crooked smile. "See you tomorrow."

"Night."

He watched as they walked along the pathway and cut into the road. When their figures shrank into the distance, he closed the door, his eyes narrowing irritably at the large piece of board that replaced the window previously destroyed by the infamous Copy Ninja.

"Arsehole," he muttered and walked back into the living room.

As soon as he stepped inside, he approached the coffee table and picked up the abandoned shirt. He could only smirk at the empty space underneath it where the envelope had been laying.

It was just too easy.


	8. Chapter 8

Beta-credit: Althea17  
- Fanfiction . net/u/244391/Althea17  
- althea17 . livejournal . com/  
- Thank you!  
x—

"Why did you tell them?"

Kakashi's stomach clenched painfully at the Iruka's question, his tone unable to hide the sense of betrayal felt by Kakashi's actions. He had seen the question coming from a mile away as soon as Iruka's attention had turned to their surroundings, but he couldn't find the right words to sooth the man's worries. He could see now that involving Genma and Raidou into their secret had been a huge mistake, but although Kakashi dreaded the silence Iruka was now punishing him with, he couldn't regret his actions at all. It was Genma who had found Iruka in the bathroom, a place where Kakashi would have never thought to search. He didn't even want to think about how long his search would have taken if it hadn't been for his comrade; Iruka could have still been lying there, unconscious, cold and bleeding.

"I'm really sorry…" he whispered as he stared weakly at Iruka's back.

"Then why did you do it?"

Kakashi swallowed back the thick lump in his throat. He was dangerously close to losing Iruka's trust. He knew that Iruka's anger towards him was driven by fear; his shameful secret had always been kept behind closed doors, but Kakashi had made it public to Genma and Raidou. He had threatened Iruka's reputation that the man had tried so hard to maintain above his indignity.

"I... I couldn't find you anywhere… and at the time, your safety was more important to me, than what people would think." His eye flickered up at the dark locks hanging over Iruka's eyes, and he hesitantly shifted towards him. To his surprise, Iruka allowed the movement. "I didn't mean to betray you like that. I really am sorry."

"Who found me?" Iruka whispered, so quietly that it barely reached Kakashi's ears.

"Genma did," he answered honestly and continued before Iruka could react. "He wanted you to stay here, so you'd know that he cares." His eyebrow rose softly, pleading for the Chuunin to understand. "He's on your side, Iruka - we all are."

Iruka turned to face him and let out a small, defeated sigh; his dignity, again, washed away. His body shivered in anger, but he felt as though he had lost the right to release it. It was his own fault for letting it happen, in the bathroom, and from the start of his relationship with Mizuki. Part of him knew that this day would come, when his comrades would see him for the real coward he was. He had always tried so hard to avoid the discovery, knowing that he had so much to lose.

"What…" Iruka licked his dry lips. He glanced down at the sheets uncomfortably, not having the stomach to face the Jounin. "What did they say… about me?" Again, his voice was barely heard, unsure if he really wanted an answer.

Despite his relief that Iruka was talking to him again, Kakashi panicked for an answer, but he didn't show it. He knew that Iruka cared deeply on what others thought of him, a trait that Kakashi himself had lost over the years. He understood now how Iruka saw himself; weak and cowardly – Kakashi knew that words wouldn't be comforting enough when he was speaking on Genma and Raidou's behalf.

"They gave me every use of first-aid supplies they had, to make sure you were well looked after," he answered carefully, in a soft, encouraging voice. "They also provided lots of sheets to keep you warm and made camp downstairs for tonight."

Iruka met his eye again weakly, feeling his guilt rise for receiving such kindness that he was not worthy of.

Kakashi smiled softly at the eye contact, placing a warm hand on the man's thigh. "Do you think they would do all of this, if they thought you didn't deserve their understanding?"

Iruka sighed and looked down, trailing his fingers over the patterns on the duvet. "I… I guess not," he whispered.

Kakashi's smile grew slightly, relieved that he was listening. There was a small silence as he contemplated on that to say next, before his determination to make things right again overruled him. "Will you come downstairs with me and see them?" he asked in a quiet, almost pleading tone, giving Iruka a chance to decline. But, "They're worried about you…" he also gave himself a chance to persuade him more.

It was true that both Genma and Raidou were worried, but a sudden thought had crossed Kakashi's mind at Iruka's concern of their thoughts on him. He remembered on the second night that he had let Iruka into his home, when he had persuaded the Chuunin to end things with Mizuki, one of Iruka's main protests were what would happen with Izumo and Kotetsu. Kakashi had never really thought about it before, but looking back, he could see now that the three Chuunins were the only close friends Iruka really had. Though, Kakashi also assumed that the reason for that was Mizuki's control; he didn't want Iruka making friends with anyone outside of their 'gang.' He wondered if that was the reason Iruka had come to him in the first place, because he had no one else.

Now, Kakashi considered Iruka as a close friend and knew that the Chuunin felt the same towards him. But he now wondered if this was an opportunity to help Iruka find new friends in Genma and Raidou. Not only would they defend him against harm, but they could help Iruka settle into this new chapter of his life.

He had a lot of sympathy for Iruka, though he didn't show it much; mostly because he had always been a believer that sympathy only gave reason to fall lower. Each time Iruka had faltered in their plans, Kakashi had found a way to strengthen his own free will. It was the way Kakashi had learned to survive throughout the years; giving up and crying only got people so far.

Though, inwardly, his heart ached every time Iruka cried or showed any signs of misery that Mizuki had created. Again, he didn't show it, but the emotion had dictated a lot of his actions; mainly his attack on Mizuki (which he would eventually tell Iruka about, once he found his courage to). He wanted to sooth the man's pain as much as he possibly could and knew that Genma and Raidou could help.

They would never hurt him, never lie to him, or order who he could and could not talk to. They would just be his friends, something that Kakashi felt Iruka truly needed.

He could see the typical hesitance in Iruka's eyes from the fear of facing Genma and Raidou. It was understandable; in the eyes of the village, he was a shinobi and should have the strength, pride, and courage to ensure that such abuse would never happen, but Kakashi could see now that things were never black and white.

"Iruka," he sighed, dipping his head lower to meet the man's eyes. "Give them a chance…?" A silver brow rose pleadingly.

Iruka licked his lips in discomfort. "Can… can we go home afterwards?" he mumbled quietly, and Kakashi couldn't help but smile at his words.

"Of course."

Iruka took a deep breath and clamped his lips tightly together as he glanced up to the door. He shifted, slowly sliding himself off the bed to stand. A small dizzy spell hovered around him, but a strong, pale hand took his shoulder, keeping his balance.

"Thank you."

For the first time in what seemed like hours, Iruka smiled at him.

Kakashi's eye crinkled up softly as he slid a supportive hand around the man's back. He led them towards the door, picking up the blood-stained clothes on the way.

x—

Genma stopped talking in mid-sentence when the bedroom door creaked open. They both looked up at the ceiling with wide, wondering eyes and listened carefully to the shifting sounds. They stole a questioning glance of each other, mutually deciding on how to act around their guest.

The door to the living room swung open, and Kakashi stepped inside, offering his friends a soft smile in attempt to create a light, comfortable atmosphere for Iruka.

"Yo." The usual casual, lazy tone greeted them.

"Hello…" Genma blinked, startled at the new attitude coming from Kakashi.

Iruka soon appeared behind the door, holding in a sharp breath as he looked from Raidou to Genma. A weak, awkward smile formed on his lips, and he shuffled closer to Kakashi for comfort.

Genma and Raidou could sense that he felt uncomfortable, and so the former acted on his instincts by offering his usual warm smirk that crooked around his senbon.

"If this is about that report again…"

_"Genma,"_ Raidou muttered in a warning tone, inwardly wincing at the now even more awkward atmosphere. "How are you feeling, Iruka-san?"

"Better, thank you," Iruka mumbled quietly.

"That's good to hear." Raidou smiled. "Are you hungry? I could fix you something up…?" A dark brow rose generously.

"Actually," Kakashi spoke up, knowing that Iruka wanted to leave soon. "We're not staying long. We just wanted to say thanks for your help."

Raidou nodded faintly. "You're welcome," His eye shifted significantly to Iruka. "Anytime."

Despite his tired, gloomy eyes, they could see the surprise appear on Iruka's face at Raidou's words. A small smile tugged at Kakashi's lips underneath his mask. He was relieved to see that his friends were being supportive, and that Iruka was beginning to realise the difference between belief and knowledge; just because Mizuki had made him believe that he was the disgrace did not make the judgement true.

"Thank you, Raidou-san," Iruka murmured quietly.

He could feel a burning gaze from Genma in the corner of his eye, though the senbon-user tried to keep it subtle. Daringly, Iruka met his eyes, but to his surprise, Genma didn't look away in embarrassment or shame. He kept the contact, as though he was searching through Iruka's eyes, almost scraping at his soul.

Genma's dark brows were knitted in concern as he studied the Chuunin. He looked a lot better than the last time he had seen the man; his skin was no longer pale but a familiar, smooth caramel colour. The patches of blood had been cleaned away, and the dark rings underneath his eyes had faded a little. Still, his eyes looked so tired, despite the fact that he had been asleep through the whole afternoon. He looked so strained by their mere presence, but was trying so hard not to show it.

Iruka's chest tightened anxiously at the intimidating stare. He wished he could read Genma's mind to see what the man was thinking.

After what seemed like hours, the special Jounin finally broke the stare and caught a glance of Raidou's second warning look.

"Maa…" Kakashi made himself noticed again with a crinkled-eyed smile. "We better head off - looks like the bed is yours again." He chuckled, breaking the awkward atmosphere.

Genma smirked warmly and stood up from the sofa. "I'll see you out."

"Later, Kakashi." Raidou glanced over to the Chuunin with a warm smile. "Iruka."

Iruka smiled weakly and lowered his head slightly in a small, respectful bow. "Thank you again… for your help," he murmured quietly and took subtle, quick steps out the door.

"Kakashi," Genma whispered, stealing a careful glance of the doorway. "Can I have a word?" he asked quietly, motioning to Iruka standing at the front door.

"Sure." Kakashi nodded and stepped back into the living room. Whatever Genma had to say to Iruka, he trusted that it was necessary.

Iruka glanced up when he saw the figure in the doorway. His eyes widened slightly when he realised that it wasn't Kakashi but Genma. He took a small step closer towards the door, keeping a guarded, nervous eye on the man. Genma recognized the Chuunin's discomfort and stopped just outside the doorway, leaving a respectful distance between them.

"You're looking a lot better," he murmured softly.

Iruka licked his dry lips and looked down at the floor to avoid his eyes. "Please don't tell anyone about what happened," he whispered in a half demanding, pleading tone.

Genma blinked and then raised a firm brow. "It's not our business to tell, Iruka." He sighed. "You know, earlier today, in the mission room," He finally caught the man's gaze. "I thought it was just an argument, you know, just one of those things… If I'd of known that it was serious, I would have done something…"

Iruka looked away again, not knowing what to say.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for overlooking the situation," Genma tilted his head slightly to meet the Chuunin's eyes. "And that, we're here if you need us."

"Thank you, Genma-san," Iruka whispered.

"Genma," the senbon-user corrected with a smile. "Have a nice evening."

He turned and stepped back into the living room, signalling Kakashi to the door. "Get the hell out of my house." He smirked. "We'll talk tomorrow."

Kakashi nodded and gave his comrades a small wave, before approaching the front door. He paused when he noticed Raidou's pyjama bottoms still hung from Iruka's hips. "We'll take the side-ways."

Iruka nodded in appreciation; he didn't want to see anyone else, but return home to secured doors, closed curtains and a hot bath.

x—

A soft hammering woke Iruka from his nap two hours later. He let out a small groan and buried his face into the blanket to block out the noise. Drifting off, he was disturbed again by the hammering and slowly opened his tired eyes. He was laying on the sofa in the living room, cocooned inside a thick, warm blanket that hadn't been present when he fell asleep. A small smile escaped his lips and he closed his eyes again, snuggling into the blanket that Kakashi had thoughtfully draped over him.

He felt so safe in this environment, so secured and relaxed. But while he savoured this protective environment, he knew that the time would soon come when he would have to leave again. He had responsibilities around the village that he couldn't abandon; he didn't even want to think about his next shift in the mission room, but deep down, he knew that he didn't have a choice. Attempting to quit his job there would only cause suspicion, especially to the Hokage. Not only that, but despite what Mizuki had done to him, Iruka didn't want to be the coward that his ex-lover had mocked him as.  
_  
A coward would have stayed at home. _

He remembered Kakashi's words clearly, as he had taken every one of them to heart, so desperate to win the man's approval.

The hammering started again and Iruka gazed up at the ceiling cluelessly. With a small, confused frown, he untangled himself from the blanket and made his way up the stairs, the noise growing louder with each step he took.

Iruka stopped in the doorway, staring blankly as the infamous Jounin was on his knees with a hammer in one hand and a large piece of paper in the other that he was glaring at. In front of him was the frame of a large, double bed, which Kakashi was still trying to put together.

A small, amused smile formed on Iruka's lips and he cleared his throat.

The paper flopped over Kakashi's hand as he looked up to the doorway in startle. He blinked his wide eye and looked back to the bed frame. "Eh…" he chuckled weakly, scratching the back of his head. "It was supposed to be a surprise," He smirked, lifting the instruction form to his eye again. "This thing contradicts itself so much…"

Iruka stared in amazement. "When did you…"

"Maa, about two hours ago when you fell asleep." He smiled. "How are you feeling?"

Iruka nodded softly as he sat down in the doorway. "Better."

"Are you… sure?" Kakashi's eyebrow rose slightly in concern. "I mean… I understand… if you don't want to talk about it…"

"It's fine," Iruka said gazing down at the floor. "To be honest, I'm tired of…" he frowned slightly. "Letting him get to me… it just means he won, doesn't it?" He glanced up at Kakashi and blinked when the Jounin stared at him almost accusingly.

"He's done it before, hasn't he?" Kakashi murmured deeply.

Iruka looked away. "Yes," he whispered.

Kakashi's eye narrowed to the floor, forcing himself to rein in his rage once again, knowing that getting angry wouldn't help either of them right now.

But it will happen.

It will.

Mizuki would get the punishment he deserved.

x—

The sound of heavy water distracted Kakashi from his book, and he glanced up to the open doorway. He stood up from his new double-bed and approached the bathroom. Iruka was on his knees, leaning against the tub while swishing his hand back and forth through the steaming water. It seemed he hadn't noticed the Jounin's presence until he heard a loose floorboard creek and looked up to see Kakashi standing in the doorway, watching him with a thoughtful eye.

"You don't mind, do you?" Iruka asked quietly, lifting up a small, bubble-bath bottle hesitantly. "I didn't want to disturb you."

"Not at all," Kakashi shook his head as he snapped his book closed. He offered the Chuunin a soft smile crinkled in his eye. "It's your home too now – you don't have to ask."

"Thank you." Iruka smiled weakly and turned back to the tub to squeeze a blob of bubble-bath into the water.

Kakashi watched the heavy ripples distantly, before his eye slowly returned to the Chuunin. With only a towel wrapped around the man's waist, Kakashi could see the bruising decorated around the side of his stomach area. The marks looked dark and angry, and Kakashi could see the careful movements Iruka made to cause least discomfort as possible. The recent, familiar urge to wrap a strong, supportive arm around the man returned, but he resisted doing so; after hearing Iruka's true feelings on what the man thought of himself, Kakashi understood that he needed a little of his own independence back. It was only a bath; he would be alright…

"Do you… need any help?" It seemed the usual, over-protective emotion had defeated his logic once again.

Iruka stared at the floating foam in the water. He felt his dignity shrink again at the question, hating the hopeless impression that seemed to constantly linger around him. Finally, he looked back to Kakashi and offered him a forced smile. "I'll be alright, thank you." his tone was clear and almost dismissive, wanting the Jounin to let him take care of his wounds alone. He was tired of needing Kakashi's help, of proving Mizuki right; that he couldn't look after himself.

Unlike Kakashi, Iruka's eyes revealed his emotions too much, which had always given Kakashi the answers he needed on how the man was feeling. It was a somewhat dangerous trait, one that Kakashi guessed Mizuki had learned of years ago and found his way to take advantage of. Iruka's eyes were like a window to his thoughts and as much as Kakashi disapproved of such a habit, he was also grateful for it during these moments. It wasn't about Iruka wanting to be alone for a while; Iruka wanted to change the person he was and stop needing to be saved by others.

On the outside, it sounded almost ridiculous that such a message would influence Iruka when he was merely having a bath, but Kakashi could read deeper into it. He had learned now how Mizuki worked, how he had manipulated Iruka into believing that he couldn't survive on his own. He understood completely that the Chuunin wanted to change that outlook on him and wanted to start by cleaning Mizuki's dirty fingerprints himself. He guessed it was Iruka's way of convincing himself that his determination to change wasn't just empty words.

If that was the way Iruka wanted to do it, then Kakashi saw no reason to object, but the burning desire to stay by the man's side wasn't satisfied by Iruka's respectful wish. Glancing down at his book, Kakashi let out a small sigh in thought.

"Maa…" he chuckled weakly, catching Iruka's attention again. Kakashi's eye lifted to the man in amusement. "I'm a little angry with Junko at the moment… she thinks she's in love with the 'mysterious bad boy.'" He sighed and rolled his eye. "So, I thought I'd give my company to my second-favourite person." He offered Iruka a dorky smile to follow from his cheesy line.

Iruka blinked twice and let out a small, rare laugh that warmed Kakashi's heart. "I really don't understand you." He shook his head with a soft smirk. "How many times have you read that thing?"

"I don't know." Kakashi looked at the ceiling in an attempt to count.

"Then, surely you know who this 'Junko' girl goes for in the end?" Iruka raised a brow, his smirk still curled on his lips.

Kakashi grinned. "Iruka-sensei," he announced formally, yet in a husky, teasing tone. "Quality is better than quantity."

Iruka stared at him blankly and laughed again, slapping a hand to his face. "What does that even mean?"

"Simple," Kakashi pointed a significant finger. "It doesn't matter how many times one reads it – the twist will always catch one off guard."

"That makes no sense." Iruka chuckled softly, and to Kakashi's surprise, he opened up the towel from his waist and stepped into the tub with a long sigh. He folded the towel and placed it neatly on the floor beside the tub, before sitting into the water, unaware of the dark eye gazing longingly at his tanned skin.

Kakashi's eye followed along the thin curves that underlined the man's cheeks. His silver brows knitted slightly, lost in his thoughts. Nothing was stirring in his stomach; he couldn't feel that 'ecstatic wave of pleasure' that Junko experienced in chapter five, paragraph six to eight. How did one know for sure if they were attracted to someone?

He immediately looked away when Iruka's eyes returned to his view, not wanting to be caught staring at the man's body in his typical, clueless way.

"So,"

Iruka distracted him from his thoughts, and he glanced back to the Chuunin. A silver brow rose slightly when Iruka subtly patted the rim of the tub, signalling for him to sit with him.

"How does the story end?" His lips curled into a weak, embarrassed smile.

"Ah, now that would be telling," Kakashi grinned as he stepped over the abandoned clothes and took a seat on the floor beside the tub. He couldn't help but gloat at Iruka's change of mind for him to stay, even if it was for the 'company.' He lifted his infamous orange book to Iruka's blinking eyes. "Find out for yourself."

"Get that thing away from me!" Iruka demanded in a playful tone as he slapped the book away.

Kakashi grinned, sensing the new aura around Iruka; it was quite rare to catch the man in such a pleasant mood, and Kakashi didn't blame him at all. But when Iruka did smile or laugh in such a way in Kakashi's presence, it was always a genuine emotion. It convinced him that Iruka was comfortable around him, that he could let his guard down and show him how he truly felt.

However, never before had he seen such a playful side to Iruka, one that seemed so different to the Chuunin who was sobbing into his chest earlier today. It was then that Kakashi realised Iruka's real strength, which possibly explained how he survived all these years under Mizuki's sour eyes. He should have noticed it when they were in Mizuki's home, when Iruka had gathered up his courage to enter his own personal form of Hell – the first place he went to were his ornaments; prized possessions that each told a story, each reminded Iruka of times in his life that he wanted to remember forever. The other things he collected were essential; clothes, reports and grading papers that could always be replaced if needed, and when he heard Mizuki slam the front door, he again, gathered his courage to walk down those stairs and face his fears, just to collect his ornaments. Kakashi knew that Iruka didn't want to face Mizuki that day; he wanted to get far away from the man as possible, but his memories were worth facing his fears for.

One could take all of Iruka's most prized possessions and burn them in front of his eyes and still, Iruka would shuffle through the ash to find something that wasn't ruined. His state of mind was also a perfect example; Kakashi had seen it more than once, where Iruka would cry in pain and hurt but then stagger back to his feet and smile at what was still standing.

In this case, Kakashi guessed it was himself that had given Iruka his smile back; he may had lost his fight to Mizuki, his pride and dignity, but he hadn't lost Kakashi.

Weak?

Kakashi smirked at the irony. Iruka was a lot stronger than he thought.

He wanted to see more of this side to Iruka; the side that made his heart flutter with delight and thicken with admiration.

Grinning deviously, he followed along with the 'game,' and shoved the book back into his face. "Give it a try!" he persuaded loudly, as though he were passing on an innocent food recipe.

"No!" Iruka laughed, pushing the book away again.

"You know you want to!" Kakashi's grin darkened teasingly, as he squashed the book against Iruka's frowning face.

"I don't!" Iruka growled jokingly, ripping the book from Kakashi's hands and attempting to throw it behind his head, but the loyal-to-porn Jounin caught it in time and shoved it back to him.

"Maa, do!"

"Don't!"

"Please?"

"No!"

Poor Icha Icha was slapped back and forth like a ping pong ball and couldn't be blamed when it finally gave up and dropped into the bath water, via a double shove and slap from both Kakashi and Iruka, knocking the object out of the Jounin's hand.

Iruka gasped sharply and covered his hands over his mouth. He stared with wide, horrified eyes as Kakashi dipped his hand into the water to pick up the soggy, dripping book.

"I'm. So. Sorry." Iruka gasped out behind his hands, watching Kakashi's face carefully.

Kakashi's lips were clamped together tightly, his wide eye fixed on his soggy sanctuary – Minato-sensei's gift. His chest was painfully tight and clenched tighter as each drop of water fell back into the bath.

"Kakashi…" Iruka breathed nervously. "Get a hair drier on it…"

"I don't have one…" the very stiff Jounin mumbled.

There was no point in asking why. Kakashi looked as though he were about to break if any out-of-place word was spoken.

"I'll buy you a new one," Iruka half pleaded behind his fingers. "I really am sorry."

"Maa…" the usual sound came out in a high pitched tone before Kakashi swallowed thickly. "It was my fault, too…"

"Give it here," Iruka brought himself to his knees and extended his hands. "Hold it up, like, upside-down, with the pages out…"

Kakashi stole a questioning glance of Iruka but shifted onto his knees and held out the book as told. He watched carefully as the Chuunin span through a simple series of hand signs and placed his palms against the middle of the pages. The thick, wet paper began to tremble against the sudden burst of wind that escaped from the Chuunin's palms, throwing the water left, right, and centre, but away from the book. Kakashi watched in amazement, resisting the urge to slip off his eye patch and steal, or rather, copy the technique. The book began to dry, but the pages remained crinkled from the 'attack.' Kakashi carefully bent one of the page corners and heard a small creak from the movement.

Iruka winced. "I will get you a new one," he quickly reassured.

"It's okay." Kakashi smiled weakly.

"No," Iruka leaned down to meet the man's eye. "You've done enough for me… Let me get you a new one."

Kakashi's eye was fixed on his crinkled book as he stroked a pale thumb along the page. He had carried this book with him for years, never letting it leave his side. It was the last and most significant gift that his sensei had given him, intended to remind him that he was not only a shinobi, but a human being, too. It was the one thing that kept his memory of Minato alive, though Kakashi could almost hear his sensei's reply to that sentiment;

_All chapters come to an end, but new chapters are then born._

He then started to wonder if it was a mere accident or if his sensei was really watching over him… trying to tell him something.

Was Iruka the new chapter in his life?

"I really am sorry," Iruka whispered after a daring decision to cut the silence. He could see that the book meant a lot to Kakashi. "I promise to get you a new one."

"It's okay." Kakashi glanced up at Iruka with a meaningful eye. "You have nothing to apologise for." His eye crinkled into a soft, sincere smile.

Minato had always been the one person that Kakashi held in high regard and from an early age. He had experienced too many glimpses of signs and luck to not believe his sensei was watching over him, that he could read Kakashi's thoughts just as he could when he was alive. If this was his sensei's way of telling him that it was time to close this chapter after all these years and start a new one, then Kakashi would trust that Minato knew what he was doing.

Gazing down to the crinkled pages, he took a small breath of courage and smiled as he snapped the book closed.

It was time for a new beginning.


	9. Chapter 9

Beta-credit: Althea17  
- Fanfiction . net/u/244391/Althea17  
- althea17 . livejournal . com/  
- Thank you!  
x—

"Kakashi?"

Said jounin glanced up from his blue, second edition book when Iruka stepped into the bedroom doorway. Kakashi was sitting on the new double bed, in which he hadn't moved from for the past two hours. He couldn't remember the last time he had bought a new bed and the comfy mattress beneath him was becoming a personal difficult mission to get off.

Iruka resisted an amused smile at the 'attached' jounin. "I found this in the letterbox." He lifted a small, folded piece of paper between his fingers.

Kakashi's silver brow rose, and he extended his hand curiously as the chuunin handed over the paper. He unfolded it and scanned along the text, brows knitting deeper.

Despite his knowledge of respecting privacy, Iruka blinked in concern at the deep expression in Kakashi's eye. "Is everything alright?" he asked nervously. It had taken a lot of strength not to open the note himself to see who it was from, and Kakashi's frown sent his mind worrying. He bit his lip gently before daring himself to ask, "Is it _him_?" His eyes pleaded for an answer. Although he knew that his troubles with Mizuki were far from over, he couldn't face his ex-lover's next twisted plan right now.

"No, it's not," Kakashi quickly assured him with a soft smile. "It's from the Hokage – I've got a meeting with him in half an hour."

"What?" Iruka blinked and stole a suspicious glance of the note. He met Kakashi's eyes again nervously. "Another mission?" His own words sunk his heart in fear. _Not again…_ He understood that Kakashi had his responsibilities in missions, but he hadn't expected nor prepared for him to leave again so soon; what happened to recovery leave? Why couldn't another Jounin take the mission? Why did this have to happen so soon?

Kakashi could see the fear in his eyes at being left alone again, especially after what had happened last time. "It's not a mission," he quickly reassured him. "It's just a meeting."

"About what?" Iruka asked before thinking of the jounin's privacy.

"It doesn't say," Kakashi sighed and stood up from the bed to hand the note back to let Iruka see for himself. "He just wants to see me," he said almost to himself as Iruka ignored his words; too busy studying the note intently.

The silence gave Kakashi time to gather his thoughts. He knew exactly what this meeting was going to be about – Sarutobi had obviously found out about the confrontation in the mission room between him and Mizuki and wanted an explanation. After seeing the consequence Genma faced for hitting the chuunin, Kakashi was certain that he was about to face the same result. The only problem was, his reason for attacking Mizuki couldn't be spoken of without hurting Iruka's pride and reputation, something that Kakashi respected a lot. He needed to find another explanation that would fit with Mizuki's possible descriptions of everything said and done. Also, he needed to either find another alibi to tell Iruka what Sarutobi wanted or find the courage to crush Iruka's trust again by telling the truth.

One step at a time; he needed to know what Mizuki had said before telling Iruka anything. If the word 'rape' was even whispered inside the Hokage's office, things could get a lot more complicated. Though, Kakashi had a feeling that detail may have been left out; reporting even the rumour of rape would resort to investigation and possible interrogation on each party involved, especially Mizuki. Why he would make the effort to report the confrontation was beyond Kakashi when the motive was difficult for Mizuki to crawl away from in the first place.

"See?" he finally spoke as Iruka finished studying the note.

Iruka let out a small sigh and looked away in guilt. "I'm sorry… I just thought…"

"I know," Kakashi smiled warmly. "I'll be back as soon as it's finished, I guarantee you." His silver brow rose carefully. "Do you want me to lock the doors?"

"No," Iruka quickly shook his head and smiled up at the jounin. "Where will that get me?"

Kakashi's smile grew at Iruka's growing confidence. He took the note back from Iruka and buried it into his pocket. "I better head off now." He needed time to think over two alibis. "I could pick up dinner on the way back if you want."

"Alright, that sounds good," Iruka nodded.

Kakashi's eye crinkled pleasantly before he turned and, to Iruka's surprise, opened the window and jumped out of it.

The flash of blue caught Iruka's attention, and his lips twitched into a small smile at the next edition of Icha Icha snuggled against the sheets. Picking up the book, he exited the bedroom and made his way downstairs to find his jacket. He shrugged it on and buttoned it over his civilian clothes, as Kakashi had arranged for him to have a week off due to a 'poorly tummy and the sniffles' - as said by the jounin with adorable amusement. He hid the book inside the inner pocket of his jacket, so he could remember exactly what he was looking for. He promised to replace Kakashi's book and was determined to do so.

As he glanced up at the front door, he felt a shiver run down his spine. It was his first time leaving the house since Mizuki's attack and without Kakashi, too. But throughout his time with the jounin, Iruka had taken every one of the man's words to heart. He didn't want to be the coward Mizuki had referred him as – he wanted to be the strong Iruka that Kakashi was proud of. Despite his deep fears of facing the village, their questions about his cuts and bruises, and, most of all, the possibility of running into Mizuki, Kakashi's approval meant so much more to him. He would stick to the middle of the village where there were more people passing by; if he did run into Mizuki, he knew that his ex-lover would never do anything to him in public.

He knew deep down that his fears were so much more intimidating than he let himself believe. As he twisted the doorknob, he felt his stomach clench with dread, but the image of Kakashi's proud smile in his mind was enough to settle his fears.

_A coward would stay at home._

He was not a coward.

He pushed open the door and stepped outside. The soft breeze stroked across his face, and he inhaled the refreshing air. He closed the door behind him and set up a simple trap; one that a chuunin would take some time to disable, and one that a jounin would whistle happily to as they disarmed it quickly. He walked along the pathway, his eyes flickering around as though searching for something, but the only thing he could see was the bright green leaves dancing from the trees in the sun.

x—

For the first time in a while, Kakashi was not late to a meeting. Iruka's safety and reputation was important to him, and he had threatened it without the teacher even knowing; he was determined to settle things again and control the situation himself.

As he walked through the long corridor, he went over his rehearsed lines in his head. He couldn't let the Hokage find out about what happened to Iruka; it would only make things much more complicated and also shatter Iruka's dignity once again. There was also another reason that Kakashi selfishly stood by; with enough proof, Mizuki would be punished by the Hokage for what he had done, but Kakashi had already witnessed too much now. He wanted Mizuki to suffer at his own hands and realise that Hatake Kakashi, an ex-ANBU member was not one to fuck with. He was clever enough to know that fighting the chuunin was not the right solution – that was already being proven this minute as he walked towards his consequence of losing his temper before. Mizuki had the upper hand when it came to physical force. They both knew that Kakashi was too strong for him and punishing Mizuki with a good kicking would not only mark his jounin record, but would also give him the reputation as a bully who felt his strength could be used against his inferiors.

It was always the card Mizuki had used, even with Genma; in the report on their incident over Hayate's death, Mizuki had apparently claimed that Genma had been threatening and intimidating him before the whole incident. Mizuki had been provoked into speaking up on the 'unfairness' and received a punch to the face for undermining his superiors.

It was a clever way to play it, Kakashi couldn't deny that. Genma now had a mark on his records, but fortunately, Sarutobi understood that it was a difficult time for the senbon-user and restricted the punishment he should have been given. In return, he was not to go near or speak to Mizuki again.

Unfortunately, Kakashi didn't have an excuse like that. He would just have to take his punishment and wipe the smirk off Mizuki's face later.

He knocked softly on the door and opened it when a voice called through with permission. As he opened the door, his stomach clenched, and his breath disappeared in his throat at the sight of Mizuki sitting in a chair opposite Sarutobi's desk. His back was turned to him, the chuunin looking straight ahead of him. Confusion gripped Kakashi's mind as he wondered why the chuunin hadn't turned to give him a sly smirk as he had done so in the mission room. That knowledge alone gave Kakashi a strange feeling that Mizuki might not have planned this, unless the man was so focused on his act in front of the most powerful man in the village.

"Have a seat, Kakashi," Sarutobi ordered in a gentle yet firm voice.

It was then that Kakashi realised he had been summoned to a meeting where Mizuki had to sit beside him. He froze for a moment in the doorway as his mind flared with so many thoughts that they tangled together. He honestly didn't know how to react or whether he could find the stomach to do as he was told. He felt a sharp stab of hatred inside him at such an action for Mizuki to take; the actor was probably loving this moment, almost waiting for Kakashi to make the wrong move and get himself in even worse trouble. It was working though; his anger was flaring for having to sit beside the man who had brutally _raped_ his friend and have a civilized talk over their 'feelings' towards each other's attitude.

He wanted nothing more than to walk inside the room and grab hold of the chuunin's throat so tightly until his face turned the colour of death. His fingers twitched at the mere thought of it, wanting to feel the trembling muscles underneath them as Mizuki choked for the air he didn't deserve.

Iruka's face flashed through his mind, though it wasn't his adorable smile or bubbling laughter – it was his unconscious face, smeared in blood from a trembling hand trying to stifle his shameful cries of pain; soaked with tears that were pocketed in deep eye bags of sleepless nights that had been caused by this chuunin. His jaw clenched tightly as he tried to flood the image from his mind.

Without even looking at him, Mizuki was manipulating Kakashi. His sudden rage was exactly what Mizuki wanted from the jounin at this moment, so the Hokage could witness the 'injustice' himself and punish him for it. Kakashi couldn't let it happen. He couldn't let Mizuki know that it was working.

_It will come, it will…_

His own voice whispered in the back of his mind, reminding him of his plans for Mizuki. He just needed to get through this meeting without his temper clouding his logic. That was the reason he was here, after all.

He closed the door behind him with a soft click, buried his hands into his pockets, and let his shoulders fall into his usual slouched posture. He approached the desk and took a seat beside the chuunin. A dark wave of tension grew between them, as each man kept their eyes on Sarutobi, but their attention on each other's presence constantly.

While Mizuki was good at his acting, Kakashi was trained with hiding his emotions, and so each man appeared to be merely ignoring each other's presence as though they were two individuals engaged in a squabble. Only one who had witnessed every detail of the situation would feel the dangerous tension between them, and so Sarutobi seemed almost oblivious to such rage – just like both of them wanted.

The old man let out a small sigh before he began the meeting. "I've been reported by two people about an argument that took place Wednesday afternoon in the early hours of the evening." He eyed Kakashi significantly. "I have a report from Mizuki, and now I would like one from you."

It seemed Mizuki might not have planned this after all…

"Alright," Kakashi answered in calm, casual voice, though inwardly he began to panic; he wouldn't have a chance to know what Mizuki had written without matching his own version to it.

A sheet of paper was placed before him with a pen. Kakashi noticed the chuunin shift in the corner of his eye, leaning his elbow on the armchair and resting his cheek into his face. He froze when Mizuki innocently cleared his throat and looked over to the window in a daydream.

He seemed so laid back, as though Kakashi's presence was no threat to him whatsoever. For a moment, Kakashi assumed that Mizuki was challenging him to try and push the blame onto him, that he was so confident and could win without lifting a finger, but as he subtly studied the body language, the location, and company, he saw deeper into the movement.

It was a signal, a not so clear one, but one that could be dismissed innocently in front of the Hokage. Mizuki was giving a calm and casual atmosphere in the room, revealing no sign of grudge or offence to Kakashi's presence, as though he accepted the whole situation as 'just one of those things.' The small cough was a signal to Kakashi, telling him to copy his attitude.

At first, Kakashi didn't know how to react. He knew that Mizuki was trying to get himself out of trouble, but at the same time, he was offering Kakashi the opportunity to clear his own name, too. He didn't understand why at first, why Mizuki would want to spare him from the Hokage. And then he realised. Mizuki was out of his element here – he didn't want the Hokage involved anymore than Kakashi did. The reason was clear; for all Mizuki knew, one swipe of DNA from Iruka's skin would prove that the rape rumour was true. It seemed the chuunin was aware that he had made a grave mistake in forcing that action on Iruka, and now he was desperately trying to mend it.

It seemed Mizuki trusted that Kakashi was eager to get himself out of trouble, too; a mark on his record could limit his missions due to clients hesitating on trusting shinobi with an abusive record. Mizuki was offering him a way out, but in return, he wanted his own escape, too.

Kakashi's stomach clenched with a sickening feeling as he lowered his pen to the paper with the knowledge that he was bailing Mizuki out from what he had done to Iruka. He was failing his friend again, but this time, it was for Iruka's own good. He knew that Iruka didn't want anyone to know about what had happened or for the incident to be written in his own record. Nor did he want offered sympathy, attention, and counselling. He had all he needed to get over this; he had Kakashi, and the jounin knew that Iruka would be alright as long as he was beside him.

This betrayal was only temporarily, Kakashi promised that to himself. He would spare Mizuki from the Hokage, but the chuunin would never be spared from Kakashi.

_It will come._

With one last scribble, he then placed the pen down on the desk and moved the paper towards the old man. Sarutobi quickly read through it before handing it over to Mizuki. He then swiped out Mizuki's report from the drawer and gave it to Kakashi.

Both men were silent as they read each other's words.

"Was that what happened?" Sarutobi asked both of them.

Each report was almost identical; Kakashi was stressed from a mission. Mizuki was stressed from a long shift. They clashed.

"Yes," Mizuki finally spoke in a deep voice. His green eyes lifted to Sarutobi. "That was pretty much what happened."

Kakashi nodded in agreement.

The old man frowned and looked at Kakashi with a significant eye. "Then this… other person involved?"

Kakashi felt dizzy for a moment, as though he had stumbled into his own trap. Of course, the village would know about Iruka because Kakashi had _told_ them all. He quickly gathered his thoughts; the village was full of gossips – everyone knew that – not every whispered rumour was true.

"There was no one else involved, Hokage-sama," he murmured confidently. "I was just tired from my mission and took something Mizuki said personally… I can't even remember what it was he said…"

"It must have been something important to have you so riled up…?" Sarutobi murmured with a studying eye.

"I accused him of being brown-nosed," Mizuki quickly fixed the flaw.

Kakashi blinked, not expecting the comment.

"Meaning?" Sarutobi raised an eyebrow.

Mizuki sighed and straightened out his bangs. "Kakashi and Genma are close friends. Genma was in the room when it happened; maybe that's who this 'other person' is. But we were both in a bad mood, Kakashi wouldn't write out another report, I wouldn't file the invalid one, it turned into a little argument, and then Genma got involved." He rolled his eyes with a sigh. "I guess I felt intimidated having two jounins on my back."

Kakashi resisted the urge to comment on the cliché jounin card.

"So I lost my temper and accused Kakashi of brown-nosing Genma, and I guess I hurt his pride."

Kakashi took a moment to collect Mizuki's words and put them into his own sentence in his mind. The story Mizuki had chosen was somewhat offensive, but right now that was the last thing on his mind. It seemed Mizuki was determined to leave Iruka out of it, too. If Sarutobi happened to question anyone, Mizuki wasn't sure whether Iruka would tell the truth; he had already confided in Kakashi, after all, about their years together.

"Alright, I've heard enough," Sarutobi sighed deeply. "I understand that your duties can be stressful, but I expect better from both of you. I don't want to hear anything like this happening again. You're shinobi – not children. Now go, you're both dismissed." He waved a hand at them, seeing no point in dealing with such a childish situation when he had more important things to be doing.

Kakashi froze for a moment, unsure why the incident had been dropped; he had expected to be punished as Genma did. He stole a small glance of Mizuki as the chuunin stood from his chair. Again, there was no sign of anger in his eyes, no bitterness in his words. Kakashi assumed that Sarutobi didn't see it serious enough to look further into it, as the two of them had given the illusion that they had sorted it out between themselves.

He rose to his feet, both men receiving the result they wanted; to have Iruka's name cleared from the rumours to the Hokage. He distantly reminded himself to pass on the story event to Genma just in case.

A pale hand extending towards him disturbed Kakashi from his thoughts, and he glanced down to see Mizuki offering his hand. A soft smirk was curved on the man's lips, as he gave the impression of 'making friends,' but Kakashi knew that he was trying to piss him off.

"Forgive and forget," Mizuki murmured casually.

Kakashi's stomach clenched painfully as he raised his hand, knowing that he had to swallow his anger once more and shake the man's hand. Mizuki's green eyes pierced into his own, and Kakashi could see that nothing had been forgotten at all. Their fight was no where near over.

He broke the handshake quickly and exited the office. As he walked down the corridor, he felt the sick feeling return to his stomach. He could see now what Iruka had meant during their conversation on the night they met on the bridge.

_You don't know what he's like. You wouldn't understand._

Kakashi had always thought to be a good judge of character. He thought he knew Mizuki's 'type' well enough to know what he was doing, but his judgement had been wrong the moment he had found Iruka in the bathroom. It pierced his heart to know that Mizuki didn't care about what he had done; there was no remorse in his eyes, no slight hint of concern towards the man he apparently loved more than anything. He was just focused on slipping the blame away from him.

Kakashi hated to admit it, but the look in Mizuki's eyes during the handshake had sent a small shiver down his spine. He had seen that kind of emotion in many enemies, but Kakashi always had the opportunity to wipe the expression right away with a sharp kunai to the eye. With Mizuki, it was an expression of victory and gloat. It was one that said; _I got away with it, and there's nothing you can do about it._

How someone could be that cruel and careless of their own actions, Kakashi would never know. Mizuki had raped his ex-lover and didn't seem to regret a single moment.

"Hatake," a deep voice called from down the corridor.

Kakashi froze and narrowed his eye to the floor. His jaw clenched as he literally bit his tongue. He heard his voice in the back of his mind, telling him to keep walking, to get away, but his pride wouldn't let him move. Instead, he turned to face Mizuki with a tight, piercing eye. The chuunin was leaning against the wall, arms folded, and watching him intently. There was a short silence before he moved and walked towards the jounin. Kakashi's heart flared in panic, though it wasn't because of fear. One step out of line, and he would be back in Sarutobi's office, branded as the dangerous liability Mizuki wanted him as. His entire body tensed as he held in his anger; he didn't need to use strength – words could be just as frightening.

Mizuki stopped before the jounin, putting a small distance of privacy between them. His green eyes lifted to Kakashi's, and he offered his usual dark smile. "I was quite impressed back there. I didn't think you'd take the bait, but I guess you're not so different from me after all."

Kakashi's silver brow rose in disbelief at his words. He kept his hands tightly fisted in his pockets, understanding that this was another one of Mizuki's forms of manipulation. He knew he should walk away, not rise to the bait, but he couldn't find it in him to do so.

"Oh?" His eye tightened. "Go on, enlighten me."

Mizuki could see the man straining to stay calm, a fact that put him at the advantage. "Your time with him may seem rosy now, but I wouldn't get too comfortable." He smirked. "I know Iruka better than he knows himself – he won't stick around you for long."

Kakashi glare deepened. "You don't know him at all. Only what you forced him to be."

"Forced?" Mizuki's brow rose, and he let out a small laugh. "What the fuck do you know? Everything he is, I gave him the guts to be it. I gave him his career, his life, and his future. I gave him everything he wanted. But Iruka's ambitions are never too far from his lies. He'll fuck you the way you love it, he'll tell you he loves you because you need to hear it, but in the end, he'll find the next person he's been searching for to give him what you never could."

Kakashi ignored the twisting gut in his stomach and tilted his head in curiosity. "And what might that be?"

"Security, Kakashi-sensei," Mizuki smirked as he smoothed out his bangs. "He wants someone who can give him protection, someone with a high profile should anyone ever want to challenge him. Think about it, an ex-ANBU member? The legacy of the White Fang, with the famous Sharingan… it does sound quite impressive, doesn't it?"

Kakashi forced his glare to stay tight in his eye, _refusing_ to let the chuunin's words sink in too deep.

"But you're not the strongest, are you?" Mizuki smirked. "That's the problem. Maybe if you strive towards the Hokage rank, you may be safe from being burned, but you'll always just be another step in his ladder."

"Then why are you so set on having him back?" Kakashi finally spoke up with a confident voice. "If that's all you are to him – your rank has been used up already."

Mizuki's smile instantly faded. The jounin had obviously touched a nerve.

"Because everything he is was my work," he hissed. "He belongs to _me_."

Kakashi's lips parted under his mask with a silent gasp. He couldn't believe what he was hearing; Mizuki was actually convinced that Iruka was part of his property – some kind of invention. He was starting to understand a little now of how the chuunin's mind worked. Iruka was his invention and when he stepped out of line, Mizuki reprogrammed him with threats and beatings.

He didn't know how to respond. His throat felt so swollen and wouldn't let any words pass through. He felt sick to his stomach that someone could treat another like that and then call him their _lover_.

"Do you see now?" Mizuki murmured deeply, raising a silver brow. "You never stood a chance."

Kakashi slid his tongue along the inner side of his teeth, searching for something to say. Iruka was right; Mizuki was good with words, for right now, they were spinning in his mind. No matter how much he told himself they weren't true, his hope was being clouded with dark doubts. It had been his worry for so long, that he was just a rock for Iruka to hide behind, to protect him from Mizuki, and the bastard had just pulled his worries straight to the surface.  
_  
Get a grip!_ A voice hissed at the back of his mind. _You're letting him get to you!_

He had warned himself from this only a moment before they spoke. Why was he letting Mizuki's manipulation plan work when he knew damn well that he was just twisting words into the shape of reality? It was so obvious that the man was trying to turn Kakashi against Iruka so that their 'relationship' would weaken without Mizuki having to make much effort at all. They were just words – they weren't true. Iruka wasn't using him that way – he wouldn't sob his heart out to Kakashi if he was, would he? He wouldn't tell his darkest secrets if their friendship was nothing but a lie.  
_  
You gave me the reason I needed to say 'no' to him._

The only reason Iruka needed saving in the first place was because of this man.

He'd had enough of this manipulation. His eye lifted to Mizuki with a dark glare, and with a fast movement, the chuunin was pinned with his back to the wall, a strong, pale hand over his mouth, and a sharp blade pressed into his neck. The pin had happened so fast that Mizuki barely had the chance to make a noise, let alone struggle.

He stared up at Kakashi with wide, shocked eyes, obviously not having expected the jounin to touch him. Kakashi's eye pierced deep into his own, though there was an emotion flickering there that Mizuki had never seen before. It was cold and dark – the real expression of a jounin moments before his first kill of the night.

"Now it's my turn to talk," Kakashi hissed. His adrenaline flared at how the tables have turned. He was done listening to this bullshit. "Your lies won't work on me. You _raped_ Iruka, and then you _left_ him there." His eye tightened dangerously when Mizuki glared at him. "Now you may be safe from the Hokage, but you will never be safe from me, for _every time_ you made him suffer - I'm going to make you suffer ten times over." A dark smirk flashed through his eye. "Watch your back, Mizuki."

The kunai was removed from the chuunin's neck as well as his pale hand from his lips. Kakashi turned without another word and walked down the corridor. He kept his eye fixed on the exit door in the distance. His stomach clenched uncomfortably as he realised he had gone too far again, but he didn't regret his actions – he wasn't going to let Mizuki think that his twisted words could work on him.

Mizuki froze against the wall, catching his breath. He wrapped his hand across his throat to massage the skin where the kunai was as he watched the jounin walk away in the corner of his eye. He let out a shuddered sigh before standing up straight to compose himself again. He hadn't expected Kakashi to threaten him like that, especially after the punishment he had just got away with. His green eyes flashed over to the distance with a glare as he gritted his teeth in anger. Words obviously weren't going to work this time – Kakashi needed to go away.

x—

Iruka's face couldn't have been redder as he flipped through the pages of the book. Curiosity had gotten the better of him when he picked up the orange book from the shelf, wondering why the jounin was so infatuated with it. He was standing right at the back of the long shelves, hiding in the corner in case any comrades or parents of his students were to breeze into the book shop only to see their child's teacher prowling through the porn section. It was so unfair that Kakashi seemed to get away with it without question.

Hiding in the corner and away from the large shop window also gave him reassurance that an unwanted person couldn't see him; i.e. Mizuki. Although he had found enough courage to face the village, he didn't want to face his ex-lover so soon.

As he turned the page, his eyes widened absurdly as he read deeper into a rather… _private_ _moment_ between 'Junko' and a man whose name he did not know… it must have been the 'mysterious' guy that Kakashi often bitterly mentioned. It became too much, and he snapped the book closed with a relieved sigh. He looked around nervously at his surroundings, hoping no cameras had been set up around the shop.

He quickly paid for the item and left the shop, his stomach swirling with excitement. He couldn't wait to see Kakashi's face when the jounin learned that he had replaced his favourite book and been out on his own. Kakashi hadn't pressed it this time for Iruka to get out of the house; he had been so understanding and willing to go out himself to collect anything Iruka wanted, but Iruka wanted so much for Kakashi to see that he was stronger than that.

A hand suddenly grabbed his shoulder from behind. Iruka's breath disappeared in his throat.

"Irukaaaa!" a familiar voice greeted.

Said chuunin felt his blood turn to ice when Kotetsu appeared in his eye line, wrapping a strong arm around him. Izumo appeared on his other side; the two chuunins wedging Iruka between them.

"Haven't seen _you_ in a while – how the hell have you been?" Kotetsu smiled brightly, as though he was catching up with an old friend.

Iruka stared with horrified eyes, realising that even in the middle of the village, he wasn't safe at all. To the village, they had made it look as though they were his friends. He felt an arm from behind nudge him slightly, signalling for him to keep moving. His heart clenched in fear, knowing that there was nothing he could do. He didn't stand a chance against the two of them, and deep down, he knew that if he even thought of challenging Izumo and Kotetsu, Mizuki would make things a lot worse for him.

He suddenly felt so small, instantly regretting going out on his own.

The arm around his back nudged him again.

It was Izumo. His eyes were fixed on his surroundings, obviously keeping an eye out for a certain someone. Leaning in, the chuunin whispered into Iruka's ear,

"Let's go for a walk."

TBC

Please review? ^^;


	10. Chapter 10

Beta-credit: Althea17  
- Fanfiction . net/u/244391/Althea17  
- althea17 . livejournal . com/  
- Thank you!  
x—

"Lets go for a walk."

Fear and confusion gripped Iruka's frantic mind at the man's words. He could feel Izumo's fingers clenching into the material of his vest with a painfully tight hold, making any attempts of moving away impossible without causing a theatrical scene. Although his instincts screamed at him to get away, knowing that he was being dragged back into the 'Mizuki cycle' he had been trying so hard to kick his way out of, he couldn't find it in him to do so. His heart was beating so fast that he wondered if the two chuunins could hear it. He felt the strong urge to slap his hand against the ones clutching him to rip them away from his body, but he couldn't bear the thought of the passing people stopping in their tracks to turn and stare with questioning eyes. Too many people already knew what was going on already; he couldn't let his shameful secret spread any further.

He had known deep in his heart that this chapter was no where near over; Mizuki had already proven that he wouldn't give him up without a fight. Though, while he understood this, his mind was struggling to find the reason of this sudden meeting; Mizuki was always in control – Izumo and Kotetsu were just his two sidekicks. Why were they now the ones confronting him alone?

Years of experience with being at the receiving end of Mizuki's cruel schemes gave Iruka the morbid feeling that his ex-lover was somehow behind this. Izumo and Kotetsu were so loyal to Mizuki, and Iruka could only imagine the lies that must have been told to them in order to make them want to confront him. He subtly glanced at Izumo from the corner of his eye but quickly returned his stare to the ground, fearing the consequence of accidentally suggesting any sort of challenge towards him.

As he listened to their footsteps tapping towards their destined location, he wondered how things might be if they were to know the real truth about Mizuki and what his ex-lover had done to him throughout these years.

He was suddenly tugged and led into a side-alley, away from the eyes of the public. The sound of last night's rain leaking from the gutters was drowned out by their echoed footsteps. The coiling in Iruka's stomach tightened, and his eyes darted around him, failing to grasp their intentions in this place. He tried to prepare himself for the sight of Mizuki waiting somewhere in the alley, a plan he expected but feared greatly nonetheless. After what Mizuki had done to him, he wasn't sure if he had the courage to face the man again without breaking. He wished he could switch off his fear, but every time he tried to, Mizuki seemed to know how to switch it back on again with even more intensity.

All too suddenly, he was shoved out of his tracks and thrown against the wall with a hard thud and broken gasp. Hands fisted his shoulders again, pinning him tightly in place. Iruka gripped tightly on to the brown paper bag in his hands, guarding Kakashi's gift from his two 'comrades,' though the movement was also a reminder of the jounin's expectations of him. His eyes lifted up towards the two chuunins, tightening into a weak, defensive glare in a failed attempt to mask his obvious fear. He had no idea what Izumo and Kotetsu were prepared and capable of in this new form of taunting, but it didn't really matter – Iruka knew that challenging them would only make things worse and encourage Mizuki to set a new and more ruthless trap against him.

"Look, I don't want any trou-"

His own words were cut off when something was lifted towards his face. Iruka tensed before realising that it wasn't some kind of threatening weapon but a piece of paper - or rather, a photograph. His eyes took a moment to adjust their focus on the close-up picture. His face immediately turned a deep shade of red in embarrassment as he stared at the picture of himself, dressed in short, thin layers that did little to hide bare skin and, even worse, his clear excitement.

Silence surrounded them for a moment as he tried to clear his broken thoughts. Izumo stared at him with a cold glare, waiting patiently for him to speak up and explain himself. Kotetsu merely smirked in amusement at the academy teacher's dirty 'secret.'

"Where did you…" Iruka swallowed the thick lump of saliva at the back of his throat as he stared at the picture, quickly guessing the answer for himself. He had always known how cruel Mizuki could be, but never before had he thought his ex-lover would use something so… personal to get back at him. Despite his humiliation, he felt his anger rise in the pit of his stomach, horrified at what was being used against him.

"Is this you?" Izumo asked in a blunt tone. As much as he trusted his friend, Mizuki, deep down he also knew how easy it was to perform a transformation illusion to fool the eye.

Iruka's eyes snapped from the picture to Izumo and tightened in a grimace. "Did Mizuki give this to you?"

"Is this you?" Izumo repeated just as coldly as before, unaffected by the man's glare. "Yes or no?"

"Y-Yes," Iruka stuttered, struggling to collect his thoughts and put them into words. "B-But it was before…" He looked back to the photo with a weak glare, cursing himself for not anticipating this before. "Please, give it back."

He lifted a hand in attempt to grab for it, but Izumo saw it coming and quickly swiped the photo from his reach, keeping his free hand tightly pinned on the man's shoulder. Iruka's fingers twitched with the urge to grab for the photo again, but the cold glare kicked away whatever confidence he had.  
  
If Izumo or Kotetsu breathed one word of him challenging them to Mizuki, Iruka knew that this would seem more like a playground squabble compared to what his ex-lover would plan for him next. That was how Mizuki worked. And what's more, he knew that there was nothing he could do without making things worse for himself.

"I've always stayed out of what you and Mizuki get into," Izumo said in a scolding tone. "But I'm getting sick of your twisted games against him."

Iruka looked up at Mizuki with wide, confused eyes. "Wh-what?" He stole a glance of Kotetsu, who by now, was no longer amused. "What have I done?" The real question that flashed through his mind was, what has _Mizuki _done?

Izumo answered his question by turning over the photograph to the scribbled writing on the back. Iruka stared at it in silence, mortified.  
_  
I miss you… Meet me in the bathroom in ten x_

"So you were "raped," were you," Izumo hissed under his breath.

Iruka's heart began to beat violently in his chest. Mizuki had told them about the rape? Why? Why would he tell them that? Surely Mizuki would have so much more to lose if Iruka had proved the 'rumour' with physical evidence. What was he trying to achieve? He could only stare at the note helplessly with the realisation that Mizuki had dug him into an even deeper hole than before. He felt an itching at the back of his eyes, defeated tears threatening to release at his ex-lover's new, malicious mind game that he was struggling to work out.

"I didn't write it…" he whispered in a rushed, croaky voice.

"It's your handwriting, Iruka." Kotetsu raised an accusing brow.

Iruka shook his head in denial and looked back at the writing on the picture, struggling to fight back his tears. "I didn't write it, I swear I didn't!"

"You're full of shit, Iruka!" Izumo glared. "You've always done this to Mizuki – you play the power game with him because you _know_ how much he loves you! The minute his attention isn't on you, you make him pay for it later! I've seen you do it before, when you tried to turn him against me and Ko!"

"What?" Iruka's brows knitted at the absurd statement, and he finally found his voice. "When did I?" He wouldn't dream of doing such a thing, knowing how highly Mizuki thought of his friends!

"You stopped him leaving the house for a week," Kotetsu intervened. "He told us all about it – about how you'd 'leave him' if he left you on your own, because you were jealous of him spending more time with us than you." His eyes narrowed in a frown. "Then you banned us from coming to your home…"

Iruka was silent again, taking in the man's words. His breath disappeared in his throat, stomach churning as he recalled that week; he and Mizuki had argument about something that, again, he couldn't even remember, which spiraled out of control.

There were times when Iruka felt the burning need to defend himself from his ex-lover's poisonous tongue, especially when it came to his students who didn't deserve to be spoken about the way Mizuki did. His justified remarks to defend his students resulted in another burst of jealousy from Mizuki and his ex-lover throwing picture frames of Iruka and his students at the walls in anger. Despite his knowledge of Mizuki's temper, Iruka had never felt so hurt by the man, and as he picked up the shards of glass scattered around the floor, he refused his ex-lover's apology and request to come to bed with him. He must have hurt Mizuki's pride or made the man feel as though his efforts of making up were slapped back in his face. The next fit of temper arrived, and Iruka was thrown out of the house in his pyjamas and into the back garden.

Naturally, spending the entire night scrunched up against the wall in attempt to avoid the heavy rain over the gutters resulted in a severe fever. The guilt-stricken Mizuki spent the entire week tucking him in bed and feeding him hot soup and tea. Iruka hated to admit it, but it was those times that somehow made the beatings worth it, when he would see the soft, gentle side of Mizuki. He realised now that he was just kidding himself, convincing himself that once the bruising sank in and the blood began to draw, his ex-lover would realise what he had done and change.

But he would never change. He had just proved it again with the fact that he had lied to his friends all this time, shifting the blame onto Iruka. And what made it worse was that Iruka had never seen it coming; he had never realised just how cunning and conniving his ex-lover really was.

Iruka didn't ban them from entering their home at all – it was Mizuki hiding evidence!

He wanted so much to shake Izumo and Kotetsu and tell them to wake up, but he knew it was no use; they were solidly loyal to Mizuki and would be until the man slipped up in his lies – but he never did! He was always in control of every situation, and right now, Iruka wasn't sure whether any of this was worth it. Every time he tried to crawl away from Mizuki's claws, they only seemed to sink deeper into his skin.

"Here's what's going to happen," Izumo cleared the silence with a strong voice of authority.

Iruka gazed up at him with tired eyes, merely waiting for his next dose of inevitable torment. Izumo lifted the photo to the man's eyes again, ensuring that Iruka didn't forget about what was being used against him.

"You're going to stop playing these games. Tomorrow morning when you go back to work," His eye tightened sternly, as though he was convinced that Iruka's week off was a ploy to keep the rape story serious. "You're going to admit to everyone that you made the accusation up – that _you_ sent him this photograph, and that _you_ asked him for sex in the bathroom. This is my friend's life and career on the line – I'm not letting you ruin it for him. _So_," He suddenly smirked. "If you don't do as I say, then I'll print off fifty copies of this picture and glue them to _every_ wall of _every_ room in our working premises, including the academy. I'll even personally post a couple through Kakashi's letter box for you, how does that sound?" He smiled pleasantly. "And then everyone can see the real _slut_ you are for themselves."

Iruka stared at Izumo with wide, watering eyes, his lips parted in a silent gasp of disbelief. He could feel a choked sob threatening to rise at such cruelty being used against him – when he had purposely tried to keep this a secret to avoid this happening. He didn't initiate this – he was prepared to keep Mizuki out of trouble in the first place, just to spare himself anymore of this torment.

"You've well and truly fucked this one up, ey Iruka?" Kotetsu snorted. "You play with fire, you get burned – did you really think you'd get away with it?"

"Leave it, Ko," Izumo lifted a hand to his friend, understanding how serious this entire allegation was. "I think we've made ourselves clear, haven't we, Iruka?"

Iruka didn't respond but glared at them with contempt and hurt, knowing how much damage they were prepared to cause for him. If one child or parent caught sight of that picture, his career would be crushed, record stained, and life ruined.

A strange emotion passed through him, arousing an odd desire to fall into Izumo's arms and sob his heart out with every detail of truth. He knew that Izumo was just looking out for his friend and that he was being blinded with lies. Despite the hatred Izumo probably had for him now, Iruka could only wonder what it would be like for him to know the truth, if he would take his side and support him as much as he did for Mizuki. Although extreme and cruel, he knew that somewhere inside Izumo was a good man who was doing what he believed was the right thing, and although the threats were directed at Iruka, he wanted so much for both of them to feel just how betrayed he felt at the injustice.

But he couldn't. With the amount of lies they had probably swallowed, he doubted they would even believe him. And even if they did, Mizuki would only feed them more lies and make this ordeal so much worse.

The photo was tucked back into Izumo's inner vest pocket, his hand patting the spot to gesture its safety. Iruka watched the final corner disappear underneath the material with tired, defeated eyes, knowing that he was cornered.

Izumo glanced back at him with the same serious expression as before. "Think long and hard about what I said, and I'll see you tomorrow morning."

With their piece said, the two chuunins turned and exited the maze of the side-alley. Iruka watched until their figures disappeared around the corner, before turning his gaze back to the previous spot they had been standing. He just stared for a moment with wide eyes, shuddering out his breaths. A hand slowly covered his mouth as he searched through his tangled thoughts, trying to think clearly.

His body felt so stiff, so frozen that he couldn't move. His heart felt as though it had been pierced with a thousand kunais that twisted with every sharp breath he took.

Despite everything that had happened, everything Mizuki had put him through, Iruka had never thought his ex-lover would do something like this – not after the night they had shared together when that picture was taken.

And now he was about to show it to everyone in order to get what he wanted.

Panic flashed through those wide, chocolate eyes as the reality of the situation seeped through the surface of his shock, realising that he needed to do something, and now.

He focused his chakra and sped out of the side-alley, towards his new home.

He needed Kakashi's help.

x—

Kakashi stopped outside his home, his eye gazing up at the closed windows and door. He took a deep breath to rid himself from his anger, knowing that it was the last thing Iruka needed right now. Whatever revenge Mizuki decided to take for the copy ninja's threat, Kakashi was prepared to deal with it himself, but for now, he needed to act as though nothing happened.

He knew that it was Iruka's right to know what was going on, but Kakashi was afraid that the ongoing battle would break the man; he had been through enough and deserved some peace, while Kakashi dealt with Mizuki alone.

Now that he had seen a glimpse of how Mizuki's manipulative methods worked, he was confident that he knew how to counter them; Mizuki had purposely used his reputation against him, plucking out known details about the copy ninja to his advantage – the more information he had on someone, the easier the manipulation was. The next step was the importance of the subject, meaning, how much Iruka meant to Kakashi. The smaller the twist of words, the bigger the effect – instead of stating facts, Mizuki only indicated suggestions to let Kakashi's mind think for itself but based on the foundation of the man's words. Once the doubt was leaked into Kakashi's mind, his thoughts were in Mizuki's hands.

He felt angry at himself for falling for it, but at the same time he was glad he had because he now knew how the method worked. The best way to avoid the manipulation was to remember Mizuki's motive and link it to his every suggestion. He _wanted_ Kakashi to believe that Iruka was using him; that he was another 'step in his ladder,' but it didn't make the statement true.

Utter surprise welcomed the jounin when he found the door to be locked from the outside. He had purposely left the key on the mantelpiece for Iruka to use for reassurance while the jounin was gone. He turned to the window and placed two hot, delicious-smelling bags of take-away food on the ground before quickly spinning through a series of hand-signs to disable his traps. He opened the window and leaped through with the bags, then looked over to the door to find no key slotted inside the hole. He glanced to the empty mantelpiece and frowned, approaching the stairs while placing the bags on the side table.

"Iruka?" he called out, staring up at the long stretch of stairs. He was responded with silence. Brows knitting, the jounin made his way up the stairs towards the bedroom and knocked gently on the door.

"Iruka?" he called again in a softer voice, considering that the man was asleep with the key by his side. Again, there was no response. He quietly turned the handle and opened the door to steal a glance of the bed. The sheets were draped neatly along the mattress and tucked into the sides, the same state the chuunin had left it before Kakashi jumped out of the window.

Frowning, Kakashi turned and checked the other rooms, only to find that each of them were empty. He paused on the landing, remembering the missing key and locked door. He sharply turned to the bathroom window in the other room with a wide, alarmed eye, quickly realising that the chuunin had left the house. His hand gripped the banister as he contemplated where Iruka could have gone. There was no way he would have gone to his usual favourite stall for ramen, not on his own anyway – and not when Kakashi had mentioned that he was bringing take-away home.

"Shit…"

The word came out before he had realised, his thoughts swamped with sudden fear. He swung around the banister and ran down the stairs with a loud collection of thumps, heading towards the door. Although he had previously encouraged Iruka to get out of the house a bit, there was no way he would let the man out alone and right now – not after the words he had just spat at Mizuki. His chest clenched painfully in fear and helplessness towards Iruka's absence, the jounin scared to death of what could happen.

He couldn't let this happen again – he couldn't leave Iruka alone again.

The door suddenly and unexpectedly opened after a small click, and Kakashi froze, staring at Iruka with a wide, trembling eye. Iruka slumped slightly against the door, getting his breath back. He looked up at Kakashi in distress, his eyes immediately watering in what looked like relief at the sight of the jounin.

"K-Kashi!" Iruka panted, fisting the door handle tightly. "He- he's…" He suddenly fell to his knees and slapped his palm into his face, his head dropping low in despair.

Kakashi froze, before hesitating and moving towards the man. His silver brow rose as the drops of water hitting against the wooden floorboards. "Iruka?" he said softly and shifted to his knees, opposite the man. He placed a warm hand on Iruka's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze, deeply concerned at the sudden outburst. "What's happened?"

"He's…" Iruka whimpered, having not thought this far on how to tell Kakashi. He knew that the jounin would stick by him, but the thought of Kakashi being angry with him for giving his ex-lover ammunition with the picture, or worse, losing respect for him for behaving so _shamefully_ in the photo terrified him. "It wasn't my fault!" he cried out, hiding his face in his arms.

Panic rushed through Kakashi's instincts, and he leaned down in attempt to meet the man's eyes. "What's not?" he asked in an abrupt voice of concern. "Iruka?" He tried to peel the chuunin's arms away from his face, his brows knitting deeper in concern by every second. "Talk to me, Iruka! What's not your fault?"

"He was being so n-nice to me!" Iruka cried out again, though the sound was muffled into his sleeve.

Kakashi's eye widened dangerously; had Mizuki gotten to him already?

"I-I thought it w-would make him h-happy, so I did it! And he's… he's…" Iruka's hands clenched tightly into fists as sudden anger flared inside him, and he hammered his fist into the floor with a furious, frustrated growl. He was so hurt that Mizuki would go so far to make him sink so low, so _sick_ of the torment, the abuse, the blackmail…

He suddenly pulled himself to his feet, the jounin immediately copying his movement. His entire body shivered with anger he couldn't control; arms shaking, fingers twitching, his heart pumping so hard in his chest he was sure it was about to burst open. His breath became heavy and unsteady as his eyes darted around his surroundings. He then caught Kakashi's eye again, the jounin moving back into his view with a wide, startled eye, and suddenly realised that he had moved to the other side of the room. Kakashi's lips moved, but he couldn't hear his voice – he could only hear his heavy pants and thumping heart. He couldn't even feel the pinching in his arm from the jounin's attempt to shake him out of his adrenaline.

Before he knew it, he was outside, scanning the blurry surroundings that flew past him. His eyes were fixed ahead of him as he sped across the rooftops, before he landed with a silent thud on the ground. His feet stopped moving, and he looked up to a white door frame.

He suddenly froze as he found himself standing outside the door of his old home with Mizuki. The sight of the familiar building cracked small holes into his adrenaline rush, his fear then leaking through as he finally realised what he was doing. His entire body trembled, the words, 'what the _hell_ am I doing?' panicked through his mind, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't move.

He knew deep down inside that Mizuki had the upper hand every time; his ex-lover was physically and mentally stronger than he was, he was more skilled at lying and pouring doubt into Iruka's mind on his own strength and abilities. And although it terrified him with knowledge that this confrontation would have drastic consequences, he couldn't find it in him to walk away and be defeated – not this time; he had too much to lose. He had allowed Mizuki to hurt him too many times in too many ways, but to threaten his students, the part of his life who he truly cared about, who made him who he was today - that was the final straw.

He had been provoked and pushed too far that, right now, he was prepared to take whatever punishment given - if only to spit out words that he had wanted to say for so long but had been too scared to. With his adrenaline so high, his anger so deep, he believed at this exact minute that he had suffered enough of Mizuki's beatings and mind games that they could no longer affect him.

Still, his arms trembled violently at his sides. He tried to lift a hand towards the door, but his limbs suddenly felt so stiff and heavy.

A small thud landed beside him, and Iruka's heart jumped. He slowly gazed to his left and blinked at the sight of Kakashi, the silver-haired jounin looking down at him with a concerned eye. Stealing a glance of the door, Kakashi met Iruka's eyes again and raised a silver brow, understanding Iruka's motive but deeply confused as to what caused it.

"You sure about this?" Kakashi asked carefully.

A shuddered sigh left Iruka's lips, and he slowly nodded, his fear somewhat shrinking at the sight of the copy ninja beside him. With growing confidence, he swallowed back the thick lump in his throat and banged against the wooden door with strength he never knew he had.

Kakashi watched Iruka in the corner of his eye, deeply concerned at the hardness in Iruka's usual soft eyes. He had left Mizuki only minutes ago and couldn't believe that the man had managed to track Iruka down and cause this much damage in such short amount of time. His logic then drowned his suspicion as he remembered exactly who he was dealing with; Mizuki knew how to use people around him to do his dirty work, and Kakashi could only guess which two puppets he had chosen.

Despite his knowledge that Iruka wasn't in the right state of mind to think clearly on how to approach Mizuki, Kakashi didn't pull the man away from the door or attempt to persuade him to think this through; he had wanted this moment to happen for so long now, where Iruka would finally have the courage to face his ex-lover. Whatever had provoked him this badly must have been serious – Iruka wouldn't face Mizuki so bluntly if it wasn't, and so the jounin decided to put his trust in the chuunin and protect him only if needed.

Only moments from knocking, a small click was heard inside the house. Kakashi stared at the boarded up window and felt a trembling hand grab hold of his arm. Without looking, the jounin lifted his hand and entwined his fingers with Iruka's, then gave a small squeeze to tell him that it was okay.

The door opened and two green eyes immediately shot to Iruka, widening in surprise at the unexpected sight. Mizuki immediately caught glance of their linked hands, but the observation lasted for a split second, purposely appearing uncaring/apathetic about the gesture. He soon relaxed with a casual stare, though never looking at Kakashi once.

Iruka felt his heart crunch at his ex-lover's stare that always managed to appear searching deep into his eyes and scratching at his soul. His stomach felt so tight that he could feel the muscles in his throat shrink in preparation for him to vomit. The memories of his last moments with Mizuki flashed into his mind, subconsciously causing his abused area to pucker tightly. A strong but gentle hand again squeezed his own, snapping him out of the memory.

To Kakashi's surprise, Iruka was then the first to move. Without a word spoken, the brunette stepped into the house and brushed past Mizuki, heading towards the living room while pulling the jounin along. Kakashi allowed the movement, his eye watching Iruka in mere shock.

Mizuki eyed Iruka warily for a moment, genuinely cautious about this new side to his ex-lover that he had never seen and therefore couldn't predict. He quickly masked his doubt with a small sigh and closed the door behind him. Stepping into the room, he leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest, offering the brunette a stare of expectancy.

Iruka swallowed again and glared at his ex-lover, his fury rising at Mizuki's attitude; he didn't seem to give two shits about what he had just done.

"This is the worst thing you've ever done to me," he growled.

Tilting his head slightly, Mizuki smirked and raised a questioning, silver brow. "Come again?"

Iruka's glare immediately darkened at his response. "You know exactly what I'm talking about!" he hissed. "You gave my picture to Izumo and wrote on it!"

Kakashi's eye slid over to Iruka in confusion, trying to understand what was going on. The expression caught Mizuki's attention, as he mentally slotted it into his memory.

His lips curled wider and he let out a small chuckle while shaking his head. "You really do make me laugh sometimes, Iruka," he said, though the amusement had faded as quickly as it had come. His eyebrows knitted into a frown, and he revealed an expression of hurt in his eyes. "I was trying to protect you."

Iruka's glare weakened slightly in hesitation, trying to work out what Mizuki was thinking and trying to catch up in this new, twisted mind game.

Kakashi immediately saw red, recognizing exactly what was happening.

"I knew you wouldn't want people thinking such things about you," Mizuki then smiled softly at his ex-lover. "So I put a stop to that rumour - so it looked like we just 'made up.' I was doing it for _your_ sake, not mine."

Iruka's dark glare returned, and he clenched his fists. "Don't lie! You _raped_ me!" he hissed, his eyes glistening at the word in hurt and shame. "And then y-you gave it to Izumo to make it look like I initiated it! _Didn't you?_"

"I didn't give anything to anyone," Mizuki shrugged, seeming, again, unaffected by the word. "And I never mentioned anything about rape," His eyes suddenly crinkled into a pleasant smile. "_Kakashi_ did. _He_ told Izumo and Kotetsu – in fact, he told _everyone_ in the mission room."

Iruka froze, staring at Mizuki with wide, shocked eyes. Kakashi's lips parted under his mask in a silent gasp, horrified at Mizuki's twisted description of what happened; what he was saying, and what he _wasn't _saying. His breath disappeared in his throat when Iruka stole a quick glance of him, but the contact lasted a split second, leaving Kakashi barely enough time to figure out what the man was thinking.

"You should have seen their faces, Iruka…" Mizuki winced almost painfully, reminding his ex-lover of his warning moments before the event; when he claimed the village would laugh at him. "I knew it would break you, so I put a stop to it."

"No!" Iruka shouted and shook his head, the movement sharp and irregular. "You raped me!" his voice became weak, and his eyes tightened to squeeze back his tears again. "And then you l-left me there on my own and… and used my picture to save yourself!"

"I didn't rape you, Iruka," Mizuki murmured deeply, glaring at him. "That would be taking something that didn't belong to me without permission. Whether you like it or not, you belong to me," he hissed. "Every thought in your head and word in your mouth, I put them there – I spent all those years helping you find yourself – I forfeited _my_ chuunin exam to make you feel _worth_ something. I didn't waste those years for you to walk out that door and sleep in someone else's bed." He raised a stern brow to _dare_ Iruka to challenge his explanation. "None of my sacrifices were worthless - I thought you understood that by now, but it seems even now, you need me to think for you."

Kakashi listened carefully to every word but didn't intervene; he understood that things needed to be said and questions needed to be asked on Iruka's side. He could see the way Mizuki constantly attempted to twist the conversation, jumping from one subject to the other to catch Iruka off guard; but despite the brunette's tears, he seemed to be handling the confrontation well enough on his own.

"I didn't ask you to do any of those things!" Iruka cried out, glaring at Mizuki with hurt, leaking eyes that he could no longer control. "I thought it was because you cared about me!"

"I did," Mizuki corrected. "And I still do." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You don't see it, Iruka, and I don't blame you for it, but you're stupid…" He shrugged in honesty. "You're naïve and weak and would have never gotten anywhere on your own – so I gave you the opportunity to _be_ someone, and you took it."

"So I owed you for doing those things?" Iruka grimaced in question.

Mizuki's lips curved into a smirk, answering his question. "Let me ask you a question, Iruka, and you can think on it as long as you like – in fact, you don't even have to answer me," He smirked, once again, turning the conversation to break through the chuunin's shell. "When you crawl into bed with him at night, who is the one you're _really_ thinking of – Kakashi, or me?"

Kakashi blinked, not expecting such a question. He forced his eye to remain calm, resisting the urge to look at Iruka's face in secret desire for an answer to the question he had often wondered himself. He could see what Mizuki was doing; he was trying to convince Iruka that although they had been apart for some time, Mizuki was still controlling his thoughts, as he apparently always had done – that nothing had changed and never will.

Iruka froze, to Mizuki's notice – the question obviously hitting a nerve. There was a long silence as the brunette glared at him, though inwardly the question span through his mind. He shook his head, ridding himself of the answer Mizuki had purposely planted there. The only time he ever thought of Mizuki was when he tormented himself with dreaded anticipation on what cruel plans his ex-lover had in store for him next.

Finally he spoke, with a harsh, cold tone. "Every time I think about you, I feel sick."

Mizuki blinked, slipping out of his mask for a split second. Hesitation twitched at his eyes as he struggled for something to say, but the spat out words crossed a shadow along his heart. He scowled at the chuunin aggressively, masking his hurt with temper. "I imagine that'll be the same thing your students say… when they see that picture of you tomorrow morning." He nodded firmly with a sly smirk, as if to condemn Iruka's future.

Iruka's lips parted in a silent gasp, and he stared at Mizuki with wide, disbelieving eyes, realising that he was right about Mizuki planting the picture for this exact purpose.

"You _bastard_!" Iruka suddenly hissed, bearing his teeth at his ex-lover like a cornered animal. "You know what? Go ahead! I don't care anymore!" he growled, shaking his head firmly. "You can do what you want to me! Beat me, _rape_ me – take my career from me! I don't care!" His eyes tightened in disgust. "But you'll never have me again! I'll _never_ love you again! The thought of your hands on my skin makes me feel _sick_!"

A sharp pain pierced through Mizuki's heart as he stared at Iruka with wide, shocked eyes. He opened his mouth as if to speak, to spit back at him, but nothing would come out. He had never seen such fire in Iruka's eyes, such hatred in those usual warm, chocolate orbs. He could feel his gut shake in his stomach as he tried to fight his weakness, but Iruka's words continued to cut through him.

He hated to admit it, but Mizuki knew that he was in love with the chuunin, and probably needed Iruka more than Iruka needed him. As an orphan himself at such a young age, he understood how painful it was to hear the long silence of loneliness – it was what had drawn him to the brunette to start with. They understood each other from the start, and while Mizuki was the stronger of the two, both mentally and physically, he had always needed Iruka by his side to sooth his own loneliness, too.

He had never meant for the first time he raised his fist to his lover, or the time after that. He had never meant to let Iruka get so close from the start, afraid of being burned with betrayal, left on his own again… Fear spiraled into frustration when the brunette would sacrifice time with his lover, to instead be in the company of his new friend; Naruto.

He hated the thought of Iruka being somewhere else; smiling, laughing, or crying with someone else - when it was Mizuki he was supposed to be with.

Iruka had become his weakness, the only person who could make him shake in fear because he had become so used to the man's voice, his smell, his presence by his side, always. He needed Iruka, and he needed his lover to understand that; he didn't want anyone else – _they_ didn't need anyone else.

His green eyes slowly lifted from the floor, piercing through his ex-lover's disgusted features. His eyes tightened into a grimace, desperately attempting to mask his hurt with pride. His fists clenched in anger at the lies spilled through his ears all this time; when Iruka had promised to love him, to never leave him.

A hissed out curse loudly left his lips, and he moved, running towards the brunette with a tight fist. Iruka's eyes widened, and he took a large step back, lifting his hands to his face and closing his eyes instinctively, but the hard blow never came. He heard a loud crash against the wall and opened his eyes again, moving his hands away from his face. Mizuki was back at the wall, crouched on his knees and holding his ribs.

Iruka blinked and looked up at Kakashi, who slowly lowered his foot from where he had kicked the chuunin back to the wall.

"Bastard!" Mizuki hissed through a sharp gulp of air, holding his ribcage carefully in place. Panting heavily, his green eyes shot up to Kakashi in fury, tightening with a promising meaning behind them.

Kakashi didn't react but eyed the man carefully, understanding the silent meaning.

"Iruka," Kakashi murmured calmly, turning to the chuunin. "We're going home now."

Iruka nodded, stealing a small, worried glance of Mizuki before quickly turning on his heel and leaving the room. Kakashi followed after the man, avoiding Mizuki's eyes as he left the room. He knew this wasn't going to be forgotten – things were about to get a lot worse.

x—

"Can you tell me about it?" Kakashi asked in a careful voice.

An awkward silence surrounded the area underneath the bridge. Kakashi watched Iruka in the corner of his eye, waiting for an answer, or at least, a response. Although he already had an idea of what was in the picture, he wanted to know for sure so that he understood exactly what they were up against.

Iruka stared at the gentle ripples in the water, hesitating for something to say. He could feel his stomach clenching tightly in fear of the jounin's reaction to what the confrontation was about. Although Kakashi had promised that his judgement of him would never change, he knew that this would change a lot; he couldn't bear the thought of Kakashi losing respect for him for behaving so… shamefully.

Kakashi could see the weak grimace appear in his face and raised a soft, silver brow. "Was it a… _private_ picture?" he asked delicately to spare the man's humiliation.

A small sigh escaped Iruka's lips, and he nodded weakly.

"Iruka," Kakashi sighed, leaning in to meet the man's eyes and give him an unmistakeable look of understanding. "You were a couple… Isn't that the kind of thing couples do for each other?"

"I suppose," Iruka mumbled, wrapping his arms around his knees. His eyes never left the water, unable to face the jounin right now. "But it was really…" A small blush crept upon his face and he turned his head away. "You know…"

"Dirty?" Kakashi murmured, deciding that mincing his words was getting him no where.

"Yes," Iruka frowned, avoiding the jounin's face. "It was one of the best nights I ever had with him. There were times when he could be really nice," A weak, sad smile formed on his lips. "I'd been away on a camping trip with my students and hadn't seen him for three days. We weren't really used to being apart for that much time, so we really missed each other… and then, when I came home, he'd made dinner for me…" His smile grew a little, to Kakashi's notice. "Candles and everything! And then, well… you know, we hadn't seen each other for a while… so we went upstairs… and I let him take the picture…" His smile soon faded into a small grimace as he realised that the 'perfect night' had been manipulated against him into his biggest mistake.

Kakashi blinked, feeling something coiling in his stomach, a strange emotion twitching in his heart. He wouldn't admit it, but it bothered him that even after everything Mizuki had done, Iruka was still able to smile at their memories together.

"Did you mean what you said earlier?" he asked before realising he had.

Iruka looked up at him weakly, unable to remember half of the things he said; his logic had been swallowed with anger.

"About what?"

"About…" Kakashi returned his gaze to the water. "Not loving him again."

Iruka sighed deeply and shook his head. "I haven't loved Mizuki for a long time," he whispered. "It just took me a while to realise it."

Kakashi nodded, lost in his thoughts for a moment. His attention was snatched when he heard a small sniffle beside him, the chuunin attempting and failing to hold back his tears. Raising a silver brow in concern, Kakashi shuffled over and wrapped a strong arm around the man. Iruka allowed the contact, leaning his head against the jounin's chest.

"I'm scared…" Iruka whispered, wincing at his own shameful words.

"Don't be," Kakashi reassured, leaning his chin on the man's head. "You did really well in there," He smiled softly. "I was really proud."

Iruka shook his head dismissively. "He's going to make me pay for this!"

Kakashi froze, remembering those exact words from Iruka in this same, exact place. He let out a deep sigh and shook his head, tightening his hold around the chuunin and rubbing his back softly.

"It'll be alright," he whispered. "I promise…"

"No it won't," Iruka whined into his chest, shaking his head. "I'm going to lose my job!" The realisation of what was at stake set his tears off again, and he let out a small, defeated whimper that only the jounin could hear.

"Shhh," Kakashi soothed, keeping his hand rubbing circles on Iruka's back. "You're not going to lose anything," he reassured and leaned his head down to meet the man's eyes. "Because I'm going to sort it out, okay? I'll take care of it, I promise," He nodded, as if to convince the chuunin. "Trust me."

x—

A sudden, loud banging noise woke Genma from his sleep. His eye cracked open tiredly, and he blinked, lifting his head from the pillow. The banging continued at the window. Genma stole a glance of his lover beside him, in the same sleepy, yet irritated state as himself.

"Who the hell's that?" Raidou wheezed out in a tired voice.

Gathering a blanket around his waist, the naked senbon-user reluctantly climbed out of bed towards the window and pulled open the curtain. He frowned at the sight of Kakashi sitting on the outside of the window sill, gazing at him with his infamous, bored-looking eye. With a small grumble about the time on the clock, he unlocked and opened the window, letting the jounin inside.

"Do you know what time it is?" he hissed quietly, tightening the blanket around himself.

"Sorry," Kakashi murmured, offering an apologetic glance of Raidou. "But it's _really_ important."

At his words, Raidou immediately sat up and stared at him questioningly.

"We're running out of time – we need to get this plan going tomorrow." Kakashi eyed Genma sternly. "Are you still in?"

x—

Mizuki looked up as the light switched on inside the house, and the door opened. Fiddling to do-up his joggers bottoms, Izumo glanced to Mizuki, his eyes widening at the man's limp.

"Mizu?" Izumo frowned in concern. "What happened?"

"Izumo…" Mizuki breathed, still clutching to the side of his torso Kakashi had injured. "I need your help…"

"What's going on?" Izumo blinked; deeply confused at the state the man was in.

Mizuki shook his head and met Izumo's eyes again, his own distressed and deadly serious.

"I need you to help me get rid of Kakashi."

TBC

Please review? ^^;


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: So sorry for the delay – I've had a busy couple of months, plus my laptop exploded and I had to buy another and start the chapter over. Thank you so much for all your kind reviews – they're always a pleasure to read and very much appreciated. Thank you again Althea17 for editing this chapter and making it readable xD I am very lucky and grateful for all your help.

Beta-credit: Althea17  
- Fanfiction . net/u/244391/Althea17  
- althea17 . livejournal . com/  
- Thank you!

x—

The continuous beeping of the alarm clock eventually made its way into Kakashi's ears, slurring him from his sleep. He rolled over from facing the wall, welcomed by wonderful warmth, and sighed in content when the alarm suddenly shut off. All too soon, the warmth disappeared, replaced by a cool breeze of air as quiet footsteps made themselves known in the room. Slowly, Kakashi's sleepy eyes blinked open and stared into the dark room, barely able to notice the chuunin at the closet if it wasn't for the faint strip of light peeking through the curtains from the awakening sky.

Kakashi stayed sprawled out on his side of the warm mattress, watching Iruka with tired eyes as the chuunin began to gather his work-clothes together. He could see from the lack of eye contact towards the bed to either whisper a good morning or apologise for the waking, that Iruka knew he was being watched. Kakashi knew the man enough now to know that avoiding contact was out of shame, not wanting to see the disapproving look in his eyes at what he was doing.

And he was right in a way; Kakashi understood clearly just how serious Izumo's blackmail was and how much Iruka had to lose in its consequence, but to see the chuunin collect his uniform with intentions of going to work - to agree to Izumo's demands, it sickened him. Perhaps it was because they were so different from each other, but Kakashi couldn't imagine ever giving into such blackmail – his pride would simply not let him. One way or another, he would find a way out, with his pride and dignity intact.

But Iruka was nothing like him. He was terrified of what Mizuki would have in store for him next if he didn't just give in now. Kakashi could see that, and to an extent, could understand the man's fear after he'd seen for himself the damage Mizuki had created without a single ounce of regret.

What he couldn't grasp though, was why Iruka was doing this when Kakashi had already said that he would take care of Izumo's blackmail. And so, when Iruka left the bedroom for the bathroom, Kakashi forced himself out from under the warm sheets and followed after him.

He stopped at the doorway and glanced down to see navy bottoms hanging from the man's hips, as the chuunin tugged his sweater over his head.

"Maa," came out a sleepy response, in a voice that told Iruka that this approaching conversation was completely unnecessary. "What are you doing?"

A deep sigh left Iruka's lips, and he daringly met Kakashi's eyes, matching the firm look that shot his way. "I'm going in today," he announced, and although Kakashi had already gathered that fact, the words and tone Iruka used made the silent disagreement more… final.

Of course, then came the familiar attempt of avoiding the issue, a trait Kakashi had noticed several times in the chuunin.

"They've got a lot going on in the mission room, and I've spent too much time off already."

Deciding to stick to the point, Kakashi raised a suspicious brow. "And Izumo?"

His response was a deep, troubled glare at the floor, and it was then Kakashi noticed the dry, pale patches of skin underneath his eyes, a sign that the chuunin had been awake possibly all night. There was no other reply; whether it was because he didn't want to be talked out of it or was afraid of hearing the harsh truth that would snap from Kakashi's lips, the jounin wasn't sure.

"There's no need to go in today," Kakashi said flatly, showing nothing but confidence in his voice. "I told you, I'll sort it out."

"How?" Iruka suddenly snapped, meeting his eyes again with an extremely weak glare.

Kakashi remained calm, hoping the casual atmosphere coming from him would influence the chuunin to see that there was nothing to worry about; he knew what he was doing. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to be enough this time; Iruka was evidently terrified.

"How can you do that?" Iruka continued; releasing his anger and fear at the man he knew wouldn't punish him for being angry in the first place. "There is _nothing _you can do! If I don't do what Izumo says, I won't have a job anymore! The Hokage will cut all ties with me, and I will never be able to face the village again!"

"And if you _do_ agree to Izumo's demands," Kakashi argued, raising a firm brow. "You'll be forced to quit your job anyway. The Hokage will probably lose all respect for you, and you'll never be able to face the village again. You're being forced to declare _in public_ that you slept with Mizuki, regretted it, and clarify that you were not raped," He felt a stab of guilt from the hurt that flashed through Iruka's eyes at his words, but it needed to be said. "Whichever option you choose, both will end the same - your career will be ruined."

Iruka's eyes fell back to the floor, and he felt that horrible sense of hopelessness surround him. Izumo's threat had made the option of accepting his demands seem as though he still had something to hang onto, but the way Kakashi had put it made him realise just how severe the situation really was. He looked back to Kakashi, noticing the sudden softness in the man's tired eyes, telling him that he was on his side and that he really did understand what he was going through.

"What can I do?" he whispered in a raspy, defeated voice, staring at the jounin with desperate eyes. "Please just tell me what to do…" He felt so small and helpless and could barely even imagine how much more intense that trapped feeling would be if he didn't have Kakashi backing him up.

"You don't have to do anything," Kakashi murmured softly, shaking his head. "I'm going to sort it out - I'll get _all_ of them off your back, and I promise you, they will never bother you again."

Hesitance flashed through Iruka's eyes, and Kakashi frowned slightly, wondering if that look he had just been given one was out of… mistrust.

Finally, Iruka sighed deeply and rubbed his tired eyes. "What did Mizuki mean yesterday?" he whispered. "When he said you'd told everyone in the mission room… What did he mean?"

Kakashi's chest tightened as the inevitable question came, knowing full well that Izumo's threat was because of his temper, a fact that he'd hoped he could avoid until he'd fixed his mistake.

"At first I thought he was lying, trying to turn me against you," Iruka's voice faded into an almost pleading tone, as though he wanted Kakashi to tell him that was the reason. "But you didn't say anything when he said that… I was so angry at the time, I'd forgotten about it, but last night… I couldn't stop thinking about it," Hours of staring at the ceiling had got him no answers. His eyes snapped up to Kakashi again. "What did he mean?"

Kakashi inhaled a deep breath, preparing himself for the consequence of his confession. "I shoved his face into a desk." _And I didn't regret a single moment. _

Iruka's mouth opened in a silent gasp, his heart beginning to pound hard in his chest as he digested the jounin's words.

"…You did_ what?"_ he gasped out, _"When?"_ though having a chilling feeling he already knew the answer.

"Just after I found you in the bathroom," Kakashi answered calmly; he knew his actions were stupid, but no way were they unjustified. "I can't remember exactly what was said, but he implied that you initiated it, so I threw his face into the desk."

"In front of everyone?"

Kakashi nodded.

Iruka's wide eyes stared at him in horror as everything began to make sense. Every breath felt like a static charge. He couldn't hide the sudden surge of fear that washed over his face, as the truth now made the entire ordeal absolutely inescapable. He thought that agreeing to Izumo's demands would give him some control over the situation, that he could 'confirm' that the rape story was just a rumour, but Kakashi's actions had now made that option impossible.

He shivered in anger with realisation that Kakashi had just shoved him into the deep end, and there was no way out. He was going to lose _everything_. His dark eyes snapped up at the jounin accusingly, unable to hide his anger at the jounin's _stupid_ actions.

"Why didn't you fucking tell me?" he growled, throwing his arms up in the air.

Kakashi remained silent, knowing that he partly deserved the blame.

"You said it was just Genma and Raidou who knew!"

"I never said that," Kakashi shook his head. "Genma and Raidou _had _to know, otherwise I never would have found you. I didn't mean for anyone else to find out though – it was an accident, and I'm going to fix it again."

"I don't want you to fix it!" Iruka declined in alarm, a sudden bitter, sarcastic breath of laughter escaping his lips that Kakashi had never heard before, especially directed at him. "So the reason I'm being blackmailed is because _you_ gave Mizuki ammunition!"

Kakashi's eye narrowed into a small glare, an emotion that concealed the sharp sting in his heart. "That's not fair," he murmured deeply.

He could see that Iruka's harsh words were more out of fear than anger, but it didn't soothe the gut-twisting feeling he received when he heard them. Despite his understanding that he had caused Iruka's danger, he felt betrayed by the blame; yes, he had made a mistake, he had lost his temper – but he had also done everything in his power to keep Iruka safe, hopeful, and happy. He had tried, even though this actually wasn't supposed to be his problem to begin with.

"Why did you do it?" Iruka shouted, all sign of 'amusement' vanishing.

Kakashi's eye twitched at the question, as though he had predicted and therefore let the blackmail happen – that he had stood by and let Iruka suffer. He had tried his best to stay mature, alert, and in control. He had tried his best to ensure Iruka's safety – of his well-being _and_ reputation, but one mistake, and he is suddenly the 'reason' behind all of this.

"You _know_ how Mizuki works - one slip-up, and he's got you by the balls!" Iruka continued to rant, talking to the jounin as though he had no idea what he had done.

Kakashi knew this was what Mizuki had planned; he _wanted_ Iruka to turn on him like this and believe that it was Kakashi's fault, even if it partly was. But it was working, and Iruka couldn't even see it. Despite knowing this was Mizuki's manipulation talking and that Iruka, in a way, had every right to snap, Kakashi's cloud of anger exploded – he was tired of being sorry all the time.

"Because_ you_ came to _me_ asking for _my _help and I have done_ nothing_ but stand by you," he answered Iruka's sarcastic question with a very dark, sober and serious voice.

Iruka flinched at Kakashi's sharp tongue, eyes widening and shoulders suddenly very stiff, knowing where this was going.

"And even after you dragged me into this - after _you_ told everyone_ I_ was the reason for your break-up and gave me _no choice_ but to get involved – after you made me give up_ my_ home, _my_ time, and _my _life for your problems, I'm _still _here standing by you."

Kakashi's eye flashed with something Iruka couldn't place; it looked like hurt.

"So if you want someone to scream at for what happened, then go and scream at Mizuki, but don't turn on me – I'm you're friend."

Iruka's shoulders trembled in shock at the outburst; he'd never heard Kakashi lose his temper before and especially not at him. His wide eyes stared at the jounin with deep realisation and guilt, knowing he had attacked the one person who had been his rock throughout all of this, who had unconditionally stood by him the entire time. He suddenly felt so ashamed; that he had thrown Kakashi's compassion back in his face when he was the one who had inconsiderately dropped his problems onto the jounin's doorstep and disrupted his life in the first place.

Despite the clear evidence that his words had sunk in, Kakashi continued. He needed Iruka to trust him, and he wanted to fix Mizuki's attempt of hurting their bond before it spiralled into yet another problem in this 'Mizuki chapter.'

"I really am sorry, okay?" his voice had softened immediately. "I admit that I gave Mizuki the advantage in losing my temper, but it was an accident, and I promise you, it will never happen again."

A soft smile curled on his lips again, such warmth flaring that made Iruka want to cry at his own harsh, unreasonable behaviour.

"Please, just trust me - I promise you, I'll make it all go away," he declared, as though he was soothing a child from a nightmare.

Iruka swallowed thickly, licked his dry lips and asked in a quiet voice, "W-What are you going to do?"

Kakashi sighed, silver brows knitting at the awkward question. "I'd rather you didn't get involved anymore than you have to. Like I said, I won't let Mizuki manipulate me again – the less you know, the easier it'll be to stay in control." He glared down at the floor. "I know how he works now – as long as you're out of the equation, there's no way he can convince me you're in any danger."

Not only that, but once Mizuki was framed, Kakashi knew the chuunin would try to pin it on someone – there was no way he would go down without dragging someone with him, and it would be either Kakashi or Iruka. While Kakashi was a good liar, the truth shone through Iruka's eyes too much; every reaction needed to be 100% genuine when up against shinobi investigation and possibly interrogation.

Iruka's eyebrows twitched in deep confusion at what was going through Kakashi's mind. He knew that Kakashi was stronger than Mizuki, but against three chuunin who worked well together as a team, and especially one who was an expert in controlling another's thoughts, he wasn't so sure. He nodded in acceptance anyway, realising that after everything Kakashi had done for him, he owed the jounin every ounce of his trust and faith.

His eyes weakly met Kakashi again with an ashamed and apologetic look. "I'm _really _sorry…" his voice small and quiet, lowering his head like a scolded puppy.

To his surprise, Kakashi shook his head and waved a hand in dismissal, offering the chuunin a crinkled-eyed smile as though the outburst had never happened. Kakashi had mentally wiped the slate clean entirely, knocking down Mizuki's attempt of turning them against each other; he wasn't going to let that cheap trick work.

"Go back to bed, okay?" Kakashi gently requested, knowing that Iruka hadn't had much sleep.

"But," Iruka's eyes flashed with worry. "If I don't show up, Izu-" he was cut off by a stern look from Kakashi.

"I'll take care of Izumo. Go back to bed, and get some sleep," A silver brow rose in concern. "You look exhausted."

A small, faint smile tugged at Iruka's lips, and the chuunin went back into the bedroom, taking off his sweater and bottoms and folding them up. He placed them down on the chair that his flak-jacket hung from, the orange book he'd bought for Kakashi still tucked inside, momentarily forgotten by Iruka's sleepy state.

Kakashi soon entered the room again, dressed in his uniform and adjusting his headband to cover his sharingan. He stalked over to the bed as Iruka slipped inside, taking hold of the sheets to pull them over the chuunin. Tucking in the loose ends of blanket, he glanced at Iruka's tired face.

"I'm going to lock the doors and windows," Kakashi decided. "If Izumo can't find you, there's no way he can try to blackmail you any further, and I doubt he'll be able to get in here."

He needed to ensure they were up to date on Izumo's plans for 'revenge,' and catching Iruka on his own again would only make things even more complicated and possibly put them at a disadvantage; _knowledge is power._

Iruka nodded faintly, hating the thought of his career, future, and life being controlled in another's hands, but Kakashi's confidence gave him a little reassurance that the jounin knew what he was doing. He was a genius after all, a genius who cared about him, and Iruka knew that without Kakashi's help, he would still be trapped in his relationship with Mizuki.

"I really am sorry…" the regretful words left his lips again, receiving a knitted brow from the jounin. "For everything… I know it was selfish to get you involved, and what I did…" He averted his uncomfortable, guilty gaze at the memory of blaming the kiss on Kakashi. "I don't know why you're still standing beside me, but thank you…"

Kakashi blinked, realising they were still stuck on the conversation, or rather, minor argument in the bathroom. He let out a small sigh and shifted, sitting down on the mattress beside the chuunin.

"I know why you did it," he said honestly, knowing now that the paranoid Mizuki would have forced the truth (about the kiss) out of Iruka anyway, so the chuunin had blurted out the lie to spare himself a beating.

It was a selfish move, yes, but when up against Mizuki, who was no stranger to lies, it was just easier and safer for one - in a panicked state of mind - to shift the blame onto someone of higher rank who could take care of himself. Kakashi could also see the chuunin's remorse for it, but he knew that Iruka hadn't predicted or thoroughly thought about the outcome, nor had he meant to get Kakashi involved in this entire situation. Plus, it wasn't as though Kakashi himself hadn't made mistakes in the past, some of which he would do anything to take back.

"I understand you're scared," he murmured, staying on track. "And I also know that fear can sometimes make us do things we don't want to do, but… it's in the past now," His eye crinkled into a soft smile. "I'll forget it, if you do."

Iruka blinked, registering the jounin's forgiving words before he offered a weak smile and nod.

"Thank you…"

Kakashi really was a rare beauty, who could make the bleakest of emotions seem that little lighter.

Kakashi then smirked playfully, brushing away the awkward atmosphere. "Get some sleep. I'll be back soon."

Nodding, Iruka buried his face into the warm pillow and closed his eyes, listening to the jounin shift around the room to adjust the locks on the window.

"See you later," the chuunin mumbled into the pillow and heard the door quietly close.

x—

Kakashi locked every door and window and slipped the key back through the letter-box before preparing his traps around his home. Once finished, he leaped up onto the roof tiles and travelled from roof to roof, making his way through the village in the quickest and easiest route.

He knew he only had a limited amount of time to reach Izumo before the chuunin took Iruka's absence as his answer to the blackmail, and as a result, would ruin another part of Iruka's life in order to clear Mizuki's name. He was a couple of hours ahead of time before Iruka was supposed to start his shift, giving him enough opportunity to prepare exactly what he was going to do.

He jumped down from the pylon wire he had used to cut corners, landing skilfully on another row of roof tiles. He approached the window, noticing the closed curtains that signalled the home owner was still sleeping. Rolling his eye, he gave the glass a heavy knock, hearing a muffled, startled curse from inside the building. After a short moment, the curtains ripped open, and a tired Raidou glared at him through the glass, eyes squinting at the early sun rising and shining at his eyes.

Opening the window, the scarred-faced man shuffled more blanket around his bare shoulders to avoid the cold breeze and scowled. "Do you _ever_ use a door?"

Kakashi ignored the absurd question. "Where's Genma?"

"Here."

Kakashi glanced over to see a sleepy Genma poke his head out from under the thick, warm blankets.

Kakashi nodded in greeting and crouched down on the windowsill, hands dangling gently from his inner thighs. "We need to head off soon," he stated, offering the man a couple of minutes to get ready.

Genma's eyes widened momentarily, before he nodded and disappeared under the blankets. He then gathered the sheets around him and finally rose from the bed, heading into the next room to dress. Kakashi's eye naturally fell to the bed, recalling the dark memory of Iruka lying there unconscious only days ago.

He could feel Raidou's eyes on him and looked at the man, immediately understanding his chain of thoughts through that weak frown that wrinkled Raidou's scarred face. He had obviously tried talking Genma out of this and been ignored. Kakashi knew that Raidou didn't want to be involved in this any more than he had to; his empathy for what happened to Iruka was evident, and it was clear that he was prepared to support the chuunin emotionally with all he had to offer, but anything more than that was beyond his principles in this shinobi village that was supposed to be a team. Kakashi predicted that Raidou's preference for 'justice' would be to inform the Hokage on what Mizuki had done and deal with it legally, but that option would only result in hurting Iruka even more.

Thankfully, Genma seemed to have a different theory on what Mizuki deserved, and although Kakashi knew it had a lot to do with his grudge over Mizuki's effect on him and his relationship, Kakashi would accept that reason to receive the senbon-user's help. Either way, Mizuki had pissed off too many people, and each vendetta had now spiralled into one big act of revenge.

Kakashi decided to speak up, finding the silence awkward and also concerned that he was hurting a good friendship.

"I'm not forcing anyone to join – Genma decided on his own accord to do the right thing."

It was almost as if Raidou had waited for him to say such a thing, as his response came faster than Kakashi had expected.

"The right thing?" Raidou frowned. "If you're caught, you'll be in a lot more trouble than Mizuki would be if you just told the truth now."

"Exactly," Kakashi nodded, raising a silver brow. "He'll probably get a disciplinary warning, a mark on his record, perhaps anger management – a slap on the wrist - while Iruka will be laughed at and mocked by the entire village for letting it happen."

There was a flicker in Raidou's eye that Kakashi recognized immediately, almost saying; _why did he let it happen?_

It was understandable, as it had been Kakashi's first question when he'd first seen Iruka after Mizuki had finished with him.

"Things are never black and white, Raidou," Kakashi murmured deeply. "I'm not going to abandon Iruka for the sake of rules, and it looks like Genma feels the same way – Iruka needs_ all_ of us."

A deep sigh left Raidou's lips, and he averted his gaze to the window, lost in his thoughts.

Kakashi watched him attentively. "Think of it this way," he decided to give one more ounce of reason. "If Mizuki ever did tire of chasing Iruka and found someone else, perhaps a civilian who he would have even less trouble controlling – would you regret refusing this opportunity to avoid destroying another innocent life? …It takes a lot for one to change who they are."

Raidou's eyes snapped back to him, attention caught and fully aware that he was being manipulated but knowing that Kakashi was right; Mizuki obviously enjoyed control and dominance – perhaps even relished being feared. A civilian would have no way of reaching out for help the way Iruka had; he or she would be simply too afraid of the over-powering shinobi.

He breathed out a sigh of defeat, unable to find a quick solution to that reason, knowing that like every ninja, it was his duty and responsibility to ensure that every civilian felt safe and secure in their own village. He couldn't live with that on his conscience if he had the chance earlier to stop it.

"Alright," he nodded slowly, gazing up at Kakashi with succumbed eyes. "What do you need me to do?"

x—

Sitting at the mission room desk, Izumo glanced up at the clock, then over to the door. Various ninja breezed in and out for their stamped reports. Kotetsu had been quiet for most of the morning, ever since Izumo had filled him in on Mizuki's intentions. He guessed his friend was skeptical about the idea, too. Kotetsu was sitting beside him, reading over reports as two long queues separated themselves between Izumo and his friend. Mizuki was nowhere to be seen - neither was Iruka.

It was unusual, as Mizuki was rarely late to work, though Izumo had an eerie feeling it had something to do with last night; Mizuki's last words had been stuck at the surface of his mind all day, refusing to shift away no matter how hard he tried.

Mizuki had helped Izumo through troubles in the past, just as Izumo was prepared to do the same, but never before had the favour been this serious. He understood Mizuki's reasons for wanting to 'get rid' of Kakashi, but he also knew that such a thing was a lot easier said than done. Not only that, but once he agreed to the plea for help, he knew there was no going back; if they were caught, they would be classified as traitors of Konoha for the rest of their lives. He had no idea what consequences would come their way, from the Hokage _and_ the copy ninja himself.

Was it really worth the risk, jeopardizing their lives for someone like Iruka? As far as Izumo was concerned, Mizuki was better off without Iruka altogether, but he knew that Mizuki loved the man too much to accept life without him.

Mizuki hadn't stated clearly what had happened between him and Kakashi last night when he arrived at his house with broken ribs, but Izumo guessed it was connected to the photograph. After all, it wouldn't be the first time for Iruka to go tattling to others to ensure his side of the story was heard first. The chuunin was devious when it came to getting the 'right' people on his side; the higher ranks. Yet, on his own and without his resources, he was weak. It was almost embarrassing.

Despite the harsh beating Kakashi had given Mizuki, Izumo wasn't willing to back down on the photograph threat; he would be doing Kakashi a favour, helping him see for himself what kind of person Iruka _really_ was. He wasn't going to let Iruka hurt Mizuki's career and life with his accusations, no matter which jounin decided take his side.

Iruka wasn't raped - he hadn't even bothered to argue against Izumo's refusal to believe such a thing. He was just an attention-seeking liar who needed to be put back in his place.

The clock ticked down its time, and as it struck past ten with no sign of Iruka, Izumo decided that the chuunin had made up his mind. Standing from his chair, he motioned for the queue of jounin to either wait or join Kotetsu's queue, as he had important business to take care of.

"I'll be back in a minute, Ko," he informed his comrade, who nodded with a deep sigh as the queue before him doubled its original size.

Exiting the mission room, Izumo made his way through the long corridor, cutting corners and passing various comrades walking the opposite way. He turned and gripped the banister as he walked down a small flight of stairs and into another darker corridor, where he stopped at a door.

Upstairs, two figures popped out from the wall, using a jutsu that Kakashi had copied from Genma. The two jounins skilfully concentrated their chakra, their presence almost non-recognizable. Stealing a glance from each end of the corridor, Kakashi then gave the senbon-user a small nod, signalling them to move. They followed him down the stairs, each foot light and careful as to not make a sound in the creaky floorboards, as they approached the door.

It was closed and possibly locked; both Kakashi and Genma knew that every chuunin had a set of keys to every room in this building. The area was completely silent with no sign of Izumo, that was, until the gut-twisting sound of the photocopier triggered through the wooden door, alerting both jounin exactly what he was doing.

Kakashi momentarily froze at the sound. Although he expected it, it gave him a surprising feeling of betrayal. He knew what Izumo had set out to do, but there was a tiny part of Kakashi that considered Izumo may had been bluffing when threatening Iruka – that he wasn't _really_ that cruel and that he would sink everything Iruka had tried so hard to keep afloat. He had underestimated Izumo, having been more concerned and focussed on how cruel Mizuki could be than how effective the chuunin's two helpers really were.

A gloved hand hovered over the door handle before he gave the metal lever a small, subtle nudge. The door was locked. Genma smirked and pulled the long, thin senbon from his mouth before gracefully falling to his knees. The sound of the photocopier drowned out the quiet clicking sounds, a fact that set Kakashi's mind at unease as he wondered just how many of those photos Izumo was intending on flaunting.

After mere seconds of teasing the lock, it clicked, and the needle returned to Genma's mouth.

Izumo's eyes snapped up as he heard the door open with little delicacy, and he stretched out a flicker of chakra to receive barely a signature. Immediately, his hand reached his pouch and grasped a kunai as he turned sharply to face the two jounin in the doorway, hand still half-buried in his pouch.

At the sight of the kunai hilt, Genma snorted in amusement, finding the idea of being challenged by a mere chuunin a little ridiculous. Kakashi's eye immediately moved down to the copier, widening slightly at the thick pile of paper sitting at the receiving end of the machine – each piece a fatal wound to Iruka's career.

Despite the urge to throw the chuunin's face into the machine, Kakashi settled for reasoning, as there was nothing to lose in trying.

"What are you doing, Izumo?" he sighed, offering a hint of peace in his voice that expressed he had no interest in fighting, for now.

There was a small twitch in Izumo's brow as he stared at Kakashi, deciding for sure now that Iruka had definitely told him _something _about the picture - whether it was the truth or an exaggerated story to shift the blame, he had little trouble deciding which.

He smirked, though it wasn't a look of intimidation towards Kakashi but rather amusement at Kakashi's oblivious knowledge and plain naivety.

"The same as you – I'm helping my friend," Izumo answered calmly. "It's about time you opened your eyes, Kakashi-_sensei_," he purposely emphasized the name at the ironic blindness in the upper-rank. "Iruka isn't the person you think he is. Whatever he's told you, he's a liar. You're being used for protection while he torments an ex-boyfriend."

Kakashi blinked, wondering if he'd heard right. This entire situation was just… _insane_ – every single participant seemed to have a completely different view on what was going on. _I thought I was a step ladder, _he wryly thought, _and now, I'm a shield. _

"Iruka isn't a liar," Kakashi murmured deeply, his eye piercing into the chuunin intently. "And he doesn't deserve what you're about to do to him."

"Doesn't he?" Izumo suddenly hissed at him, eyes tightening into a dark glare as he turned to swipe one of the copies from the pile and threw it towards Kakashi's pathway.

Kakashi's eye watched the paper drifted gently down to the floor, catching sight of the content and, more importantly, the scribbled writing that had evidently been printed over it – the same writing that Iruka had told him was forged on the back of the original photo. His heart clenched in his chest, realising that Iruka had every right to be distraught; it wasn't as dirty as Kakashi had imagined, but the playful, teasing look in Iruka's face and the suggestive position on his knees was a sight that Kakashi knew would be taken seriously when matched with the accusation of false rape. To the unaware and uninvolved individual, that picture was sure enough to give them no doubt that Iruka had indeed asked for it.

He could see the small wince in Genma's face as he glanced at the picture, apparently sharing Kakashi's thoughts that Iruka would not have stood a chance.

"Can't you see it?" Izumo sighed deeply, raising a dark brow. "You're being played like a fool! Iruka doesn't care about you – you're just a weapon!"

Kakashi looked back to Izumo but didn't respond. He knew there was no point in telling Izumo he was wrong; there was no way the chuunin would believe him after seeing the picture, and Kakashi personally wasn't prepared to participate in a childish 'no he isn't - yes he is' squabble.

His lazy eye snapped over to the pile of pictures as he leaned down to pick the abandoned one up. Standing back up, his eye then slid over to Genma. The senbon user nodded, surprising Izumo with unease when Genma suddenly disappeared, leaving behind a thick cloud of smoke. Izumo's eyes darted around but not quick enough for the jounin re-appeared behind him and roughly grabbed and locked his arms behind his back while the kunai dropped to the floor with a small clank. A growl of irritation left Izumo's lips as he tried to twist his arms, watching in alarm as Kakashi casually approached the copier to retrieve the whole pile, seeming unaffected whatsoever at the cruel truth that had just been slapped in his face. He didn't see anything after that, as his distracted eyes were on Kakashi while Genma formed a hand-seal behind the chuunin's back and teleported them away.

Kakashi lifted up the lid of the copier and picked up the original photo. He took a moment to study Iruka's eyes in the picture. Kakashi had never seen such life and happiness in his eyes before, at least, not like _that_ where it looked as though Iruka truly enjoyed what life had thrown at him. He had seen Iruka smile before, even heard his laughter, but there was always Mizuki's torment, troubling him somewhere in the back of his mind.

His silver brows knitted. Iruka truly looked… beautiful when he was happy, and Kakashi wanted to see that look in his eyes in person, directed at him, for his own doings, for his mere presence.

x—

A sharp gasp left Izumo's lips as he hit the wooden tiles, feeling his gut had been torn in half from the unexpected and sudden receiving-end of the transportation jutsu. He glared up at Genma, immediately noticing another jounin standing beside him: Raidou.

He swallowed thickly and took in his surroundings, realising that he was in someone else's home, presumably either Genma's or Kakashi's. At that thought, the copy ninja appeared in the room, surrounded by a thick cloud of smoke and holding the heavy stack of papers in his arms. The sight sent a shudder along Izumo's spine, unsure of their intentions but knowing that he was in danger.

Raidou blinked in shock at the unexpected amount of copies in the jounin's arms. "You… got them then…" he said out loud, realising now how serious Iruka's threat was.

Nodding, Kakashi turned back to Izumo. His eye narrowed tightly in disgust, now prepared to reveal his true feelings towards what Izumo had done, since there was no chance of being disturbed with his confrontation.

Izumo gritted his teeth, obviously alarmed at the amount of higher ranks surrounding him. "Three against one," he hissed under his breath. "That's low. For jounin rank, you're all idiots."

Kakashi rolled his eye with a deep grunt and threw the heavy stack of papers at Izumo. The chuunin lifted a hand to his face as the printed photos flew at him with a small dose of chakra to ensure he felt the force. The papers floated to the floor around him, and Kakashi once again saw another wince, yet this time from Raidou who saw the picture with his own eyes.

Izumo slowly uncovered his arm from his face, a noticeable shiver rushing through his body at the action, as he had almost expected the jounin to strike harder.

"There's no chance of convincing him," Kakashi decided and raised a dark, silver brow. "Let's just do it."

Izumo blinked, eyes widening at the jounin's words and his entire body freezing when Genma and Raidou approached him.

"W-What are you-"

He was cut off when a hand painfully gripped his arm, another fisting his hair and pulling his head back, ripping a couple of chocolate strands.

He growled in pain, kicking his legs and twisting to escape from the grip, but more hands fisted his clothing and pinned him in place as he had done to Iruka yesterday.

"Get off me!" the chuunin demanded through gritted teeth, furious at the overpowering jounin and their idiotic lack of understanding on who they were trying to protect.

His entire body stiffened when Kakashi knelt down opposite him, a gloved hand lifting his headband, revealing his famous sharingan. Izumo's stomach twisted with fear, truly not expecting the jounin to go this far against a Leaf comrade. The sharingan began to spin, and Izumo's eyes were locked onto it, his body trembling in his attacker's arms as he was lured into the copy ninja's deadly weapon.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Sorry again for the long wait, life's been a bit busy. Thank you so much for your reviews; they're always a great motivation!

Beta-credit: Althea17  
- Fanfiction . net/u/244391/Althea17  
- althea17 . livejournal . com/  
- Thank you!

x—

Walking through the long corridor, Mizuki mentally rehearsed his carefully chosen words. As he approached a set of double doors, he paused and then turned to gaze at the doors at the other end of the corridor. Hesitation flashed through his eyes, as he considered turning back the way he came, uncertain if he could really go through, or rather, get away with what he was about to do.

He knew he was out of his element; he had never wanted this entire situation to spiral so severely to the point where he was risking his own career and even life. He would have no alibi whatsoever if he was caught, but the desperation to obtain every vital piece of help to remove Kakashi from the equation had diminished his doubts.

Iruka's words were still taunting him with an unbearable sense of reality, of which he refused to accept so long as there was something he could do about it. He was convinced that every word his ex-lover had spat at him that night had been planted inside Iruka's mind by Kakashi in the first place; the brunet had always been easily influenced by others, so it made sense that it was Kakashi who had encouraged this new attitude and belief that Iruka could ever stand alone.

Iruka was simply too weak, both physically and emotionally, that his entire shinobi experience had been him walking alongside Mizuki. During every challenge, mission, and exam, he had been holding Mizuki's hand to ensure they were never parted in their ranks, and, in doing so, Mizuki had given the chuunin a free ticket to be called such a thing. He had not done this to open a new door for Iruka to carelessly run through and leave him behind; but again, it was Kakashi who had influenced Iruka to do so.

That was why Kakashi needed to go away, and once he had, Mizuki promised himself that things would change between him and Iruka. He would be more patient with the chuunin and tame his own ugly temper, which he was aware he possessed. Things would change for the better, and it was that promise that kept him walking towards his intent room.

He stopped at another set of locked double-doors, his pale hand hovering uncertainly over the green button attached to the wall. He inhaled a sharp breath of air as he went over his story once more, checking each word for flawing, and composing himself for his act. He had one shot at this – his story needed to be accurate. He pressed his palm into the green button, alerting the staff members inside of his presence.

A short moment passed before a young, brunette female approached and unlocked the glass-windowed door. She stepped into the small gap of the doorway and smiled politely at the chuunin.

"Can I help you?"

Mizuki bowed courteously. "Apologies for the inconvenience – a jounin has just returned to the village injured, and I've been asked to find his medical information before he's operated on."

The woman raised a gentle brow. "Do you have written permission?"

Mizuki winced. "No, but-"

She shook her head. "I'm afraid we can't allow access without written permission."

"The Hokage is on the other side of the village," Mizuki argued. "I was only supposed to be collecting first-aid items for the academy, but was sent here by the medics to get the records. I was told to hurry because they're trying to keep him stable, and so going back-and-forth between here and the Hokage's office will only waste time. The sooner this jounin is operated on, the more chance there is of avoiding severe complications."

He sighed in frustration at the silence. "I'll get written permission if you _really_ insist, but I don't think Hokage-sama will appreciate time-wasting. Every second we spend disagreeing is slimming his chances of surviving."

The female tentatively looked away, unsure whether turning a blind eye to the strict code of conduct to ensure the safety of a comrade was acceptable. After what seemed like hours for the tense chuunin, she glanced back at him and nodded with a small sigh.

"Alright…"

Mizuki mentally exhaled a long breath of air, relieved that his plan was working smoothly. He took a step towards the doorway, but stopped when the young woman didn't move from her spot. He frowned, brows knitting questioningly.

"What's his name?"

She still seemed hesitant in allowing him access without written permission, but the deed had already been done; there was no going back now lest he aroused suspicion for requesting access to the records in the first place. Determined to accomplish what he had set out to do, he decided to bite the bullet and go through with his plan.

"Hatake Kakashi," he answered, keeping his facial features calm, but inside, he could feel the thin sheet of ice he was standing upon begin to crack.

He didn't want to risk being caught, risk losing Iruka altogether, and being defeated by the copy ninja on account of his own actions - but he _needed_ that file!

It was evident the female knew of that name, as her eyes widened with surprise, and it took a lot of strength for Mizuki to keep his panic from showing in his own eyes. He was well aware of the copy ninja's fame and reputation, a fact that forced him to think through each step extremely carefully, as his lies could easily backfire on him.

"I'll get the file right away."

She closed the door and locked it without another word. A long, tense silence surrounded Mizuki as he waited on the other side of the door, completely uncertain on the outcome of this. He was playing a very dangerous game, but he knew it was the only way to remove Kakashi from his and Iruka's life. He stole a subtle glance around him to ensure he was still alone, unable to help the constant surge of fear at the possibility of being caught.

The door soon opened again and the brunette handed him a thick, heavy folder.

"There you are."

Mizuki smiled and offered her another small bow. "Thank you," He placed the folder in the crook of his elbow. "I'll return it as soon as they're finished with it."

He then turned and made his way back the way he came, his green eyes staring straight ahead of him as he felt a sudden thrill rush through him at his success and sheer luck - that he had gotten his hands on the most vital weapon one could imagine.

Once turning a few corners, he unzipped his vest to stash the folder inside. He buried his hands into the small pockets of his vests, almost disguising the sharp edges of the folder with the two fisted bulges. His heart raced as he glanced at his surroundings again, listening carefully for any sounds. He took a deep breath, before heading back for the mission room, but instead of entering, he took a detour around it and came to a set of stairs. He fished out his keys as he walked down them and unlocked the nearest door, locking it behind him again with a long sigh of relief.

He was safe, for now.

Taking the folder from inside his vest, he opened it up and flicked through the pages, reading each title in search for the information he needed. He walked deeper into the room towards a photocopier and lifted the lid. His heart pounded hard through his chest as he placed the intent page onto the glass, careful to remember the exact order in the pages to avoid more suspicion. The machine buzzed as the file was copied, new prints sliding from the bottom of the machine. Mizuki's eyes were fixated on them, for each piece was a new and effective tool to use to his own advantage.

He picked up one of the printed sheets as the machine copied more pages, his eyes raking over the details of Hatake Kakashi. Brows knitted in focus, he read through the copy ninja's background, picking up the names of the jounin's first teammates and sensei.

A small gasp of disbelief left his lips as he learned the outcome of Kakashi's first mission as jounin and captain; the section also containing a small photograph and biography of the youngest team member, Uchiha Obito. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips, hardly able to believe his luck in the information he had found and the amount of ways he could use it.

Something suddenly cut through the flow of his chakra, sending his heart racing in startle, and making him jump and lose grasp of the paper. With his hand shooting down to palm a kunai, his green eyes snapped up in fear, wondering if he'd imagined the dark presence that had interrupted his chakra. His tight eyes darted around him, searching through every shadowed corner for the intruder, but the room appeared empty and silent underneath the buzzing of the photocopier.

Glaring into a dark corner, he released a sharp breath of air to calm his nerves. He released the kunai back into his pouch and leaned down to pick up the paper he'd dropped.

A flash of silver caught his eye, and he blinked at the sight of a stray kunai lying on the ground beside the photocopier. Frowning, he picked up the single piece of weaponry, examining it with his eyes. The sound of the machine stopped and was followed by a long, heavy silence. Mizuki swallowed thickly and calmed his nerves again, telling himself that it was his own unease setting off his paranoia.

He then gathered up whatever prints he had managed to copy, figuring that he may be stretching his luck a little. Whatever information he had, he would work with; it was better than nothing.

He slipped the copies into his shoulder bag and quickly rearranged the pages from the original record file before hastily locking the photocopy room behind him and returning the records to the filing room.

x—

Izumo could hear footsteps crunching into the soft stones underneath the thick sheet of darkness. Something began to break through the darkness, a small glow of light that slowly stretched out, revealing a piece of scenery. He stared at the stone bridge ahead of him, anticipating what was to come, as he had been replaying this event three times over. Through the eyes of Kakashi, he saw the chuunin's shadow jolt up into a sitting position, aware of the presence approaching.

Crouching underneath the bridge's low bend, he felt his fingers stroke across the rough bricks, the light touch sending a tingling sensation to his fingertips. He could see Iruka's wide eyes staring up at him in confusion and fear, broken, bleeding lips parting in a gasp, before the chuunin broke into a tearful mess, sobbing out an apology.

He could hear Kakashi's voice in his head, whispering a soothing noise to try and calm the chuunin, before he saw two gloved hands pull Iruka into a tight hug.

Izumo's breath caught in his throat when Iruka's damp face buried into his shoulder, expecting the previously replayed movement but not at all comfortable with it. He could hear Iruka's cries piercing into his ears, he could smell the chuunin's blood through the copy ninja's highly sensitive nose, and he could feel the chuunin's hands grasping him tightly as though he were Iruka's oxygen source.

He hated it, being forced to tolerate this form of manipulation he had always known Iruka was capable of, in which the chuunin seemed skilled in making others feel sorry for him. Despite his lack of will in his own movements, he felt both angry and guilty, as though he was betraying Mizuki by being part of such a thing.

When the contact finally broke, he saw the thick red strip of skin wrapped around Iruka's neck, the focus clear and intent as he saw only where Kakashi's eyes moved. It looked as though something had been tied tightly to pinch the skin, held in place or repeatedly pulled at like a dog on a leash.

_Why do you let him do it, Iruka? _

The confrontation that had taken Izumo's interest the first time returned, as his eyes took in the golden, bruised torso before him, noticing the stray bone poking through the skin above the chuunin's ribs. Despite himself, Izumo inwardly winced, admitting to himself that the broken bone looked painful.

Each event was replayed over, from the confrontation between Iruka and Mizuki in their home, to the moment both Kakashi and Iruka set foot in the mission room after the break up, to the scene where Izumo had struggled to hold back the sickening feeling that stirred in the pit of his stomach; when he saw with his own eyes the image of the chuunin lying lifelessly in the toilet cubicle, bottoms hanging loosely around tanned thighs that displayed a mixed liquid colour that forced out the throat-clenching urge to retch.

The copy ninja's sharingan suddenly cut off the contact. Izumo collapsed against the two jounin, barely able to register their hands pinning him in place again as he struggled to hold back the hot, vile-tasting liquid crawling along his throat.

"St-stop!" he croaked out in a rushed voice, urging the two men behind him to allow him to sit up properly. "I'm-going-to-be-sick!"

Genma and Raidou gently guided him up properly, as Kakashi, who Izumo had never noticed leave the room, returned with a glass of water.

Through watering, blurred-vision eyes, he saw the jounin kneel down before him and lift the glass to his lips.

"Drink," he ordered firmly. "It's just water." Although tempting, they had to ensure Izumo didn't suffer any evidential effects from the sharingan.

Izumo allowed a couple of drops to trickle down his throat and wash away the repulsive taste, truly believing Kakashi's word that he would not go so far as to poison a comrade. Once satisfied, he snapped his head away from the glass, eyes shutting tightly at the dull throbbing the fast movement caused for his temples. He whimpered quietly, hoping the noise wasn't heard but unable to help himself as the memory of that mixed coloured liquid made him sick to his stomach. He could almost still smell it.

Kakashi watched the chuunin carefully, completely aware of the consequences if he didn't pay attention to how much of the sharingan Izumo could tolerate.

"Are you ready to listen now?" he asked bluntly, promising that he wasn't finished unless Izumo was ready to cooperate.

Izumo gritted his teeth, breathing sharply through his nose and trying with difficulty to keep his motivation showing in his eyes. His anger for the three jounin betrayal towards Mizuki was still fresh in his mind, as he truly believed he knew his friend better than anyone – that Kakashi was skilled enough to use his sharingan to his advantage this way.

"Lies!" he hissed quietly, feeling his stomach coil in disgust at the images Kakashi had used. "All lies!"

A sharp clench of the hand fisting his hair had him growling in pain, a small contribution from Genma in reminding the chuunin of his current position.

Merely watching in interest, Kakashi set down the glass of water before leaning over the lower rank once more. "Maa, then we'll keep going until you're ready."

Izumo instinctively shut his eyes tightly to avoid the next measure of torment from the sharingan, his form twisting in sloppy angles in a panicked attempt to release himself from the pin.

"You can't do this!" he shouted. "I'll report every one of you!"

A smirk twisted on Genma's lips as he leaned down to Izumo's ear. "You're on my premises," he whispered, watching the chuunin shiver at the hot air against his ear. "We can do what we like."

Izumo was well aware of the advantage jounin had against their lower ranks, as their actions were highly unpredictable and capable of anything, a fact that made Izumo's unease worse as he'd covered his own vision.

Something scraped against the shell of his ear, sharp, cold and thin enough to slowly creep inside, scratching along the delicate skin. He shuddered in dread, recognizing the object as the jounin's senbon that was no doubt about to be lodged within at any second to burst the sensitive tissue inside.

With his attention solely on the needle, he hadn't anticipated another needle to stab into the meaty flesh of his thigh, making him gasp sharply in surprise, eyes snapping wide open and upper body lunging forward. He barely noticed the sharp tip of the needle drag across the inner shell of his ear to draw blood, as Kakashi's eye lured him in again, the jounin's silent planning accurately completed.

x—

Mizuki lingered in the doorway of the mission room with a distant gaze towards the large queue at the desk. His attention shifted to the empty chair beside his own where Iruka used to sit - where he belonged, before Kakashi had torn them apart.

A familiar surge of rage shivered through him, but he kept the emotion from showing in his eyes that were fixated on the empty chair, while a pale hand slowly stroked along the spine of his shoulder bag, as though he was calming himself with the reassurance of his vital weapon.

Things would be back to normal soon, but for now, and like always, Iruka needed Mizuki to fight for the both of them.

He walked into the room towards the long desk, noticing only one chuunin sitting on duty, who was glaring up at him with exhausted, irritated eyes.

"Where the hell have you been?" Kotetsu shouted in annoyance over the large queue of jounin talking amongst each other. "It's been hell here!"

"Had to deliver something," Mizuki answered coolly, leaping over the desk and taking a seat beside the chuunin.

He set his bag down on the empty chair beside him and then lifted a hand towards the nearest jounin, signalling them to hand over their reports.

"Where's Izumo?"

Kotetsu shrugged. "I have no idea. Said he'd be back in a minute, went off somewhere, and left me here on my own!"

Mizuki rolled his eyes. "Well, I'm here now," he muttered and began reading over the mission report.

x—

Mizuki decided to use his lunch break as his chance to take Kakashi's records to a safe place, unable to relax with it tucked inside his messenger bag while on the working premises. Once he'd gotten home, he had meant to hide it, but the curiosity of the contents had got the better of him, as he was almost desperate to find more pieces of information he could use as soon as possible.

He turned the page, reading through the copy ninja's large amount of reported jutsus, needing to know exactly what he was up against as to not underestimate the jounin's exact capabilities. Eyes fixed on the paper; he absorbed every little detail as though each word was his next breath of oxygen.

A distant worry rose to the surface of his mind, distracting him from his reading as the incident in the copy room returned. Not wanting to believe it, he had been chasing the thoughts away, but the memory of the smallest flicker of chakra signature was bothering him greatly, leaving him paranoid that he may not have imagined it. The first assumption that came to mind was that it could only have been Kakashi, the jounin whose files he, at that moment had been copying with intentions of using against the man. Or perhaps it was one of his two jounin friends. But, if that was true, would they not have showed themselves, sabotaged his intentions, or at least stopped him from getting his hands on the files?

A heavy bang on the door almost sucked the air out of him as he gasped in startle, his attention focussed so firmly on the file that he had almost forgotten where he was. Jumping up from the sofa, he threw himself before the fireplace, pale fingers clutching to one of the wooden blocks as he pulled it from its frame. He stashed the papers there and pushed the wooden block back in place before standing on his feet.

Another heavy bang sent his green eyes shooting to the window, and he inhaled a sharp breath of air to compose himself before approaching the door. He unlocked the door and opened it, his silver brows knitting at the sight of his comrade, Kotetsu, who seemed troubled.

"Still no sign of Izumo," Kotetsu stated, frowning in concern. "He's been gone for two hours, have you seen him?"

Mizuki shook his head with a mirrored frown, eyes drifting off to the distance as he considered where their friend may be, though he had a minor assumption; it wasn't exactly difficult to predict what Izumo may do with the photograph – that was why Mizuki had set up the chuunin's discovery in the first place, knowing the effect it would have on Iruka.

At that thought, the memory of the stray kunai flashed through his mind, making him frown in confusion and sudden concern, multiple scenarios floating to the surface of his mind at how that kunai could be connected to Izumo. After a short moment, he glanced back to his comrade and opened the door wider.

"Drink?" he asked, following a distant feeling in his gut that it was best to keep Kotetsu at his side until there was any sign of Izumo.

Kotetsu blinked. "It's twelve in the afternoon…"

Mizuki sighed, shrugging. "Cup of tea, then. Standing around won't make Izumo come faster," His eyes narrowed almost sarcastically. "And you're letting the heat out."

"Alright," Rolling his eyes, Kotetsu stepped inside, closing the door behind him and toeing off his sandals. "But we need to be back at the mission room in forty-five minutes."

Mizuki ignored him, his comrade's words almost passing through one ear and out the other as he approached the fireplace again to retrieve the hidden files. Standing in the middle of the room, Kotetsu watched with a bewildered expression as Mizuki began pulling the fireplace apart.

"What are you doing?" he finally asked.

Picking the files out from the small gap, Mizuki then held it up with a wide smirk, the sheer thrill of his achievement flaring in his eyes. "You'll never guess what this is."

Kotetsu blinked, examining the object with curious eyes as Mizuki sat down on the chair.

"…What is it?"

Mizuki parted the pages to read from where he'd left off. "This morning, when I wasn't in the mission room, I went for a little walk to the shinobi record room," a grin twisted in his lips. "And came out with Hatake Kakashi's file."

Kotetsu's eyes snapped wide open, lips parting in a silent gasp as he stared at Mizuki in disbelief. "Are you serious?"

He glanced at the papers in Mizuki's hands, then back to his friend. "How the hell did you…" He suddenly glared. "Do you know how much trouble you'll be in if anyone finds out?"

"No one's going to find out," Mizuki answered confidently. "I'm not stupid, Ko. It's just a copy of the file – the real one's back where it belongs." He grinned again in amusement. "It's a great read."

"It's also illegal," Kotetsu frowned, feeling a sudden twisting in his stomach. "What if someone finds out? Is it really worth the risk?" His nose wrinkled, confused. "What do you need it for anyway?"

"I'm not sure yet," Mizuki shrugged, turning a page. "It'll come to good use though."

Kotetsu stared at him, genuinely uncertain on how he felt about this. While knowing that Mizuki wanted Kakashi out of the way to have Iruka back at his side, this was just going too far. He swallowed thickly, knowing that Mizuki wouldn't listen to how he felt about it anyway; Mizuki had always been stubborn when it came to Iruka, though surely the chuunin wasn't serious about going to these lengths to get the brunet back. However, despite his doubts, curiosity also got the better of him, and he glanced weakly at the papers in Mizuki's hands.

"What does it say?" he asked quietly, somewhat fascinated with the infamous copy ninja's biography.

"A lot of things," Mizuki murmured distantly, eyes raking across the next page. "Did you know his father committed suicide?"

Kotetsu blinked, astonished. "Really? Why?"

"Depression, I guess," Mizuki shrugged again. "He abandoned a mission to save his teammates, shamed his own name, and then killed himself."

"Shit…" Kotetsu whispered, having no idea what else to say to that. His eyes then lit up as a small theory came to mind.

"Do you think that's why Kakashi wears his mask?" he thought out loud, wondering if Kakashi's father had shamed not only himself, but the family name.

Mizuki laughed, catching the gist of the man's thoughts. "Either that or he's an ugly-fucker," He looked up at Kotetsu, smirking persuasively. "You can find out for yourself if you help me."

Kotetsu frowned at the man. "If I help you at all, Mizu, it's because you're my friend and I care about you."

"I know that."

"And I don't want you getting into trouble by taking such drastic measures."

"I know what I'm doing," Mizuki answered bluntly.

Kotetsu sighed. "If you say so. Just be careful, okay?"

x—

The door to Genma's home clicked open. Izumo was standing in the doorway, two brown, dazed eyes gazing into the distance. He could feel the senbon-user's eyes on him, almost burning into his skin with a deep, intimidating stare. Izumo ignored it, his mind occupied with the previous imagines still floating on the surface of his mind, followed by a sickening, numb feeling in the pit of his stomach. His face was extremely pale with glassy eyes, a result of the information he had just digested and a temporary effect from the sharingan.

He walked down the set of steps, a shaky hand loosely fisting the banister to keep his balance.

The door suddenly closed behind him, and everything went silent. Izumo slowly glanced at his surroundings, just now noticing the sun was beginning to set; how long had he been there?

The cool air stroked across his face, and he inhaled deeply for the fresh air, trying to sooth the nauseating sensation in his stomach. The tiny muscles in his throat felt as though they were swelling up with a warning that he was about to vomit again, but he breathed in deeply, trying to compose himself and settle his stomach.

He could barely comprehend how he felt just yet; he needed to talk to Mizuki and get some answers. He didn't want to believe that his friend, who he had known for years, was not the man he thought he was; that he had been lied to all this time and played like a fool. Surely, there was no way it was true; how could he be so oblivious throughout the years? Surely, he would have noticed something, wouldn't he?

He wiped his hand across his face, knuckles rubbing into his eyes to try and shift away the hazy vision. A soft set of footsteps caught his attention, and he froze, eyes following the direction the sound was coming from.

Beside Genma's home was a small passageway, of which Izumo noticed a shadowed figure walk past from the other end. Despite the dark image, he noticed the shape of a shinobi uniform, and a thick ponytail tied up high. Izumo blinked widely.

_Iruka?_

Without thinking too much on it, his feet moved, and he walked towards the chuunin, wanting some real answers from the main person involved. He walked quietly through the passageway towards the end, but stopped when he noticed Kakashi standing under the light attached to the back of Genma's home. Izumo stepped back behind the wall, watching from the shadowed passageway as the jounin offered the chuunin a respectful bow.

"Shikaku-san," Kakashi welcomed politely, his voice fairly quiet from Izumo's distance, but the chuunin caught the name correctly, realising that it wasn't actually Iruka.

Shikaku returned the bow and folded his arms across his chest.

"Kakashi-san," he greeted in return. "I'm leaving in an hour. I just wanted to make sure you're still on for tonight?"

"Hai," Kakashi nodded. "As always, I'm really honoured for your trust. I'll be there within the hour."

"Alright," Shikaku buried a hand into his front pocket, fished out a small set of keys. "You remember the seals?"

Izumo watched the two higher ranks interact as the shadow-user passed the keys on to the jounin. His dark brows knitted hesitantly, recognizing the silent, yet clear noticeable amount of respect both Shikaku and Kakashi held for each other, wondering what experiences both of them must have shared to obtain such trust.

Despite his pride, a sudden realisation dawned on him as he remembered Mizuki's intentions on getting rid of Kakashi. He knew Mizuki well enough to know that meant harming the jounin in some way, though Izumo was uncertain on how Mizuki would achieve in doing so. Kakashi was an elite jounin; known, feared, and respected by so many – Shikaku was a great example of that. It was undoubted that Mizuki was making a very serious mistake in even _thinking _of taking on the copy ninja.

x—

The sun had gone down, yet still there was no sign of Izumo. After a small search through the village, a now deeply-concerned Mizuki had advised Kotetsu to return home with him. It was unusual for Izumo to go off somewhere for too long and without a word, and the memory of the stray kunai found in the copy room made Mizuki suspect that something definitely wasn't right, and that they were not to take any chances.

He wasn't entirely sure what Kakashi was capable of, especially in his own village, and since previously reading through the jounin's records - learning of the copy ninja's IQ level and variety of skilled jutsus – he needed to acknowledge and be prepared for exactly what Kakashi may do in return for the planted photograph. It was now obvious that the kunai must have belonged to either Izumo or Kakashi, since Mizuki was aware of Izumo's intentions in that room. With his friend still missing, everything was beginning to add up. Mizuki was worried; he needed to be prepared for whatever was to come.

In reality, he couldn't exactly see Kakashi harming a leaf comrade, but sometimes words could be just as powerful – something Mizuki inwardly dreaded, as he knew himself how easily swayed Izumo could be by just words.

Kotetsu had been standing by the window for the past hour, glancing into the evening village every couple of minutes in hopes of catching sight of his best friend. Sighing, Mizuki stood up from the sofa and headed into the kitchen to avoid the long, awkward silence, as it wasn't doing either of them any good.

Closing the door behind him, he let out a small groan and leaned against the wall, head banging lightly into the bricks as he exhaled another deep breath of air. He closed his eyes and let his thoughts arise; trying to predict exactly what was going on.

He straightened out his bangs, trying to compose and calm himself down. He opened the kitchen cupboard and picked out a half-empty bottle of sake, pouring himself a small cup and chucking it back to settle his nerves. As the bottle slammed back against the counter, he heard a click of the front door as it opened, followed by Kotetsu's voice calling out the name of their missing friend.

"Where the hell have you been?" he heard Kotetsu ask, his voice muffled through the shut door. "Izu? Are you alright?"

Mizuki's green eyes snapped over to the door, and he breathed sharply through his nose, preparing himself for the events of what exactly had gone on. Finally, he opened the door and stepped into the living room, his gaze immediately moving to the doorway where Izumo was standing, the chuunin's hands empty of the copied photographs.

"Izu?" Mizuki called, eyeing the man carefully for any signs in Izumo's features that could tell him what was going on. "What's happened?"

Izumo's face was pale, eyes looking extremely tired and grey, as though he hadn't slept for weeks. There was a patch of dried blood smeared around the shell of his ear, and a bandage tied tightly around his thigh which also had blotches of red on it. He gave his friend, Kotetsu, a small glance of acknowledgement and to tell the man he was alright before finally facing Mizuki. His eyes tightened a little, sharp and focussed but also calm, trying to read Mizuki's mind as the silver haired chuunin was doing with him.

"I've been at Genma's house," he admitted simply.

It took a lot of strength to keep the panic from showing on Mizuki's face, wanting to stay calm to keep his role of innocence believable. Though, he was greeted with mixed emotions, as he felt a sudden weight lifted in realising Izumo had been with Kakashi the entire time, meaning that surely, there was no way Mizuki could have been caught in the records room. There was no other explanation for it, other than his dishonest behaviour had affected his imagination with fears of being caught.

Having already thought through and prepared himself for a situation like this, he allowed a flicker of surprise to show in his eye, one of natural curiosity as to what Izumo could have possibly been doing there.

"What?"

Izumo's eyes darkened in an almost accusing manner, needing to be sure he really was defending the right man.

"Did you rape Iruka?"

Kotetsu's eyes widened, shocked by the question and directness of it.

Mizuki grimaced deeply, disgusted by the sudden mistrust, yet inside he flared with rage towards his slipping control. He_ needed_ Izumo on his side.

"Can you say that again?" he snapped sarcastically through gritted teeth. "I may have misheard you there."

Izumo didn't falter at the anger towards his suspicion, having never really been too intimidated by Mizuki, especially when with Kotetsu, who even when completely confused at the situation would back him up every time. It was his respect for Mizuki that had kept Izumo by the man's side, which he was now trying to find out if the respect should have ever been there.

"I said, 'Did you rape him?'" he repeated bluntly, wanting a 'yes or no' answer.

Mizuki scoffed bitterly, his features darkening into an insulted glare.

"Of course I didn't fucking rape him!" he growled, using an offended approach to the accusation of the friend he was supposed to trust and count on unconditionally.

"You_ know_ I didn't! He sent me a note telling me to meet him in the bathroom and came on to me! I thought he wanted me back, and so, if you _must_ know, I fucked him in the toilets, and then he twisted it to make it look like I'd forced him!"

Kotetsu blinked widely from Mizuki to Izumo, very quiet, uncomfortable and confused.

"Kakashi said it's not the first time you've done it," Izumo flatly responded. "He also said you were abusing Iruka when you were together, that you beat him."

Hand slapping to his face, Mizuki let out an amused chuckle, before sighing and turning to Kotetsu.

"Am I imagining this?" The amusement vanished immediately. "Am I _really_ being accused of domestically-abusing another _shinobi_?"

He turned to glare at Izumo.

"Believe it or not, Iruka _can_ look after himself; otherwise he wouldn't be wearing a _shinobi _uniform! Everything Kakashi told you is a lie! I don't know if you've noticed, but he hates my guts and wants to make my life hell, and you're being used to do it!"

"I saw it through his sharingan, Mizuki," Izumo frowned, receiving a poisonous glare from Mizuki. "I saw everything Kakashi saw – I saw the state Iruka was in after you'd apparently finished with him!" he hissed. "Me and Ko have both stood by you throughout all of this, but I need to know if we've been defending the right person. So, just tell me the truth! Did you do it?"

A short silence filled the room as Mizuki glared at Izumo, his entire being filled with both panic and rage. He stole a subtle glance of Kotetsu's confused face, noticing the expectancy for his answer.

"_Right!_" Mizuki growled under his breath, suddenly storming over to the fireplace, where he ripped off the wooden block to retrieve Kakashi's file.

Izumo stared in bewilderment as the silver-haired chuunin began flicking briskly through pages.

"The sharingan!" Mizuki announced the title in a patronizing voice. "The sharingan is a kekkei genkai belonging to the Uchiha clan. It has _many_ abilities for use in battle; such as mimicking an opponent's actions to use against them, identifying flow of chakra to tell whether or not someone is under a genjutsu."

He glanced darkly at Izumo. "It also has the ability to create various _illusions_ to _deceive _someone."

Closing the papers, he then slammed them aggressively on the sofa. Izumo bit his lip gently, the hard look in his eye weakening.

"So there you have it!" Mizuki continued, sensing the sudden uncertainty from the other chuunin. "The things you saw were created by Kakashi's twisted imagination! I'd also like to remind you that he's an elite jounin who has been trained to understand how emotions work and trained to take advantage of them – that's how he played with yours! You were _used_ as an opportunity to take away another important piece of my life! Nothing more!"

Kotetsu, whose hands were fiddling anxiously in his pockets, quietly spoke up. "He's got a point there… This is exactly what Kakashi wants, you two fighting…"

Mizuki's eyes didn't leave Izumo. "Anything else you want to accuse me of?" he murmured darkly, raising a silver brow.

Izumo was silent, staring at the floor with an evident look of guilt in his eye, the fact that he had been purposely used as a weapon against Mizuki still sinking in. He sighed deeply and lifted a hand to rub his tired eyes.

"No," he mumbled, moving his hand from his face to look back at Mizuki. "I'm really sorry, Mizu... I didn't want to believe it, it's just those images looked so real, and… it made me sick to my stomach…"

Mizuki's glare weakened slightly, now revealing more hurt than anger. "I would_ never_ do something like that to Iruka. I _love_ him."

"I know," Izumo nodded, the guilt still marked in his eyes. "I'll make it up to you, Mizu - I'll help you get Iruka back, if you want…"

Mizuki didn't respond, gazing gloomily into space at the reminder of Iruka's absence.

"Mizu?"

He looked back to Izumo, noticing the man's painful wince.

"I'm really sorry, okay?" Izumo offered a weak, apologetic smile. "Can we just forget about it, please?"

Mizuki nodded with a small sigh, refusing to let Kakashi take anything else from him.

"Drink?" he then asked, trying to clear the awkward silence.

"Yes, please," Izumo's smile grew slightly in relief. "I could really do with one, actually."

Mizuki's glanced at the other chuunin. "Ko?"

"Sure."

He returned to the kitchen and stood in the centre of the room. Closing his eyes, he let out a long, deep breath of total relief, hardly able to believe that he had gotten away with it, that he had gotten Izumo back on side.

_That was a fucking close one, _his mind vented, seriously aware of everything he could have lost if he hadn't prepared himself for something like that, if he hadn't had Kakashi's file to fight his corner, and a naïve but loyal Kotetsu backing him up.

He approached the counter and lifted a hand towards the sake, where he realised it was trembling so hard from the confrontation. Glaring, he managed to steady it and grasped the bottle.

He planned to punish Kakashi for such a move, to make the jounin feel as physically _sick_ as he did right now.

Izumo slowly approached the sofa, careful to keep as much pressure from his injured thigh as he took a seat. He rubbed gently at his eyes to try and soothe the throbbing pain behind them. Kotetsu hesitantly sat beside him, glancing up at his friend in concern.

"Are you alright, Izu?"

Izumo sighed and offered his friend an extremely weak smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just have a headache, that's all."

Kotetsu nodded in understanding, biting his lip awkwardly. "What did they do, Izu?" he asked with a wince. "I mean, what happened?"

"They followed me into the copy room," Izumo said quietly. "Genma used the transportation jutsu on both of us to his house."

He suddenly went quiet, staring at the floor with wide eyes. "Oh _shit!_" he then sighed out, pressing his palms into his tired eyes again. "They took the photos off me – even the original!"

"Don't worry about it, Izu," Kotetsu reassured. "We'll figure something out, eh?"

They glanced up to the doorway as Mizuki re-entered, holding three small glasses in his hands and placing them down on the small coffee table. Taking a glass, he then sat on the far end of the sofa and picked up the thick stack of papers, the novelty of his vital weapon still fresh.

"What is that, anyway?" Izumo asked, taking a swig from his glass.

The corner of Mizuki's lips twitched in a slight grin. "Kakashi's records."

"Shit," Izumo blinked in disbelief but refrained from asking how, as Mizuki had always been one who seemed capable of making the impossible happen. "What are you going to do with it?"

"I'm not sure yet. There's more than enough use for it though."

"Can I have a look?" Izumo asked curiously and was handed the thick stack of papers.

A small smirk twisted on Mizuki's lips as Izumo began reading through the file.

"I was thinking of experimenting with him a little; there's a lot of information in there about dead relatives and teammates – how long do you think it would take for a jounin to snap if they kept seeing those 'old faces' around the village?" He chuckled in amusement, truly holding no concern for the damage it would do, as it was only what Kakashi deserved.

Kotetsu snorted, raising a dark brow. "That's a _bit _cruel, isn't it?"

"And what he did wasn't?" Mizuki frowned deeply. "He ruined my life, Ko! I'm just returning the favour!"

"He'll know it was you, anyway," Izumo interrupted, closing the papers. "Kakashi's not an idiot, and he knows you're not finished with him. He said so himself."

"Really?" Mizuki blinked, tilting his head curiously. "What else did he say?"

Izumo shrugged, lifting a hand to massage at the throbbing in his temple. "Not much – only what he wanted me to believe, but he knows it's not over. If you want to get rid of him, you'll have to do something fast and abrupt, when he's not expecting it – and when he's isolated from Genma and Raidou."

Mizuki shook his head. "I'm not doing anything face-to-face. He outnumbers me in every way – that would just be stupid."

"You're not when he's at a disadvantage," Izumo suggested to his friend. "And I know for a fact that he will be tonight."

Mizuki raised a silver brow, confused. "How do you mean?"

Izumo inhaled a deep breath and blinked away the blurred sheet returning to his vision. "Do you know who Nara Shikaku is?"

Mizuki glanced away in thought, trying to put a face to the name. "I think so."

"He's quite high-up in the Nara clan – he's also a _very_ good friend of Kakashi's," Izumo smirked tiredly. "I know this because I heard a conversation between them tonight, just after I'd left Genma's house."

Mizuki squinted in suspicion. "Did they know you were there?"

Izumo shook his head. "I'm certain they didn't, because I saw Shikaku show Kakashi the seals to unlock the building where the contents of their family jutsu is – he would never do that if he thought they weren't alone."

"Why did he show Kakashi that?" Kotetsu asked.

"Because the Nara clan are low on man power and have asked Kakashi to guard that building tonight."

Mizuki's eyes widened, lips parting in a silent gasp.

"He will be on-duty, alone, and unable to set foot out of that area because he can't leave the place unattended."

"Shit!" Kotetsu announced in amazement. "But still, he's a jounin… I doubt we'd be able to even get near him…"

"We wouldn't have to," Mizuki smirked, pointing to the papers on Izumo's lap. "There's a lot of stuff in there we can use without even touching him, and even if we did get near him, his priority will be protecting the Nara territory…"

He froze, wide eyes staring at the floor in amazement as an idea flashed through his mind.

"Izu! Give me that file a second!"

Izumo blinked and handed it over; both chuunin curious at what Mizuki was thinking. Frowning in focus, Mizuki flicked through the pages again in search for something. He slapped his index finger to the paper, dragging it along the record and turning the page again as he followed the long list of numbers.

"Over one-thousand missions completed," he muttered to himself in amazement. "That's enough to win the trust of the village and Hokage…"

"Huh?" Kotetsu blinked.

Mizuki gazed into space into space, brows knitting deeper in thought. "Izu, do you remember the seals Shikaku showed Kakashi?"

Izumo winced. "Vaguely…"

"What time will he be on duty?"

"In about an hour…"

"Right!" Mizuki suddenly stood up. His gaze fell on his friends again, all amusement gone, and replaced with an extremely serious stare.

"How far are you both willing to go to help me?"


	13. Chapter 13

Beta-credit: Althea17  
- Fanfiction . net/u/244391/Althea17  
- althea17 . livejournal . com/  
- Thank you!  
x—

Kakashi's home was quiet. The sound of the ticking clock fell in sync with Iruka's heartbeat as he stared past the glass window, watching the empty path surrounding the house. Hours had passed by since Iruka had expected Kakashi's return. The sun had long since set, and still there was no sign of the jounin; had not been since this morning, and Iruka was becoming more anxious.

By now, he was itching to go outside and find the jounin, concerned (despite his guilt for doubting his confidence in Kakashi) that something had gone wrong. He knew what Izumo and Kotetsu were like, especially when their actions were being influenced by Mizuki in the first place. So many drastic scenarios went through Iruka's mind he tried to find a reason as to why Kakashi would take so long to come home. The two possibilities that terrified him to the core were that Kakashi was in the Hokage's office trying in vain to save his career after Izumo had flaunted his photograph around the village, or Mizuki had anticipated this already and had spun together a new plan to turn Kakashi against him.

It was the thought of not knowing that was so frustrating, having to merely sit tight and wait for news on what fate had been decided for him. He wanted so badly to know what was going on. Did Kakashi stop Izumo? Was Kakashi even safe? He knew Kakashi was capable of looking after himself, but Iruka also knew that Mizuki was not one to be underestimated.

The urge to go outside and find out was tempting him, unable to wait any longer and tired of trying to predict what might have happened for each absurd scenario that spun through his mind. He hated the thought of having his own fate played with like this in someone else's hands, leaving him helpless and in the dark. But he remembered Kakashi's warning, knowing that as long as Izumo couldn't confront him directly, the blackmail couldn't get any worse, and so he stayed where he was where the traps around Kakashi's home kept him safe until the Copy Ninja returned.

He moved away from the window, sitting down on the sofa to sip at some tea that had long since gone cold. As miserable as it made him feel, he couldn't deny that he was scared and could not imagine how much more intense that helpless emotion would be if he didn't have Kakashi by his side.

Two weeks ago, he had so badly regretted confessing his secret to Kakashi and couldn't in his right mind imagine why he had done such a thing. Two weeks ago, he would have done anything to take it back, to have gone somewhere else and avoid getting Kakashi involved at all. At that time, and looking back, it seemed safer to just take the beating from Mizuki and wait for his ex-lover to calm down and forgive him. It was not until recently that Iruka had realised why he had chosen not to do that.

Ironically, it didn't take a genius to understand why Kakashi was so respected and admired by many; the jounin dedicated his life to his duty. He had even stated himself that the idea of a lover would never be possible because they would never be his priority in this world. Kakashi had sacrificed so much for his village, for his comrades, admittedly to the point where he struggled to grasp the ability of letting people close to him again. He was like a machine in some ways, programmed to know nothing but success; an impression that made him seem so strong, courageous, and unstoppable. He was someone Iruka had secretly admired for years, perhaps aspired to be in his younger days before his influences were taken by _someone_ within his reach. Now, Iruka wondered if that was the reason he had chosen not to face Mizuki's apology or forgiveness that night but instead chose to seek help from the one person he knew would not let him down or shun him altogether.

Despite every ounce of torment Mizuki had punished him with and the remaining measure that was yet to come, Iruka did not regret what he had done; Kakashi opened his eyes to a life Iruka had years ago forgotten was there, and now, the Copy Ninja was a part of that life. He only hoped that if this situation with Mizuki was resolved, Kakashi would remain a part of his life somehow.

A key rattled inside the front door lock, waking Iruka to his senses. Eyes wide, he stood up from the sofa and stared at the twitching door handle. His chest heavily rose and fell, trying to stay calm and face whatever fate will deliver to him. Yet, underneath his panic was a spark of excitement, a throb of longing in his heart that had missed Kakashi without even knowing.

The door opened, and Kakashi stepped into his home, eye immediately glancing at Iruka, though there was no smile but a subtle look of apology.

Iruka's heart skipped a beat, unsure exactly what he was sorry for until he noticed Raidou step through the doorway with a humble greeting and a soft smile. Time froze for a minute, Iruka's world shattering around him when he saw Genma follow after Raidou, elegantly removing his sandals in the doorway. His eyes snapped back to Kakashi in alarm, an expression which didn't go unnoticed by the senbon-user.

An idiot could sense the sudden tense atmosphere. Genma had anticipated it and had been pondering how to approach since the night Iruka recovered in his home. As uncomfortable as it was, he knew why Iruka didn't want to be around him. He was already aware that the chuunin knew it was him who had found the man in the bathroom, and he understood the shame Iruka felt towards it. It wasn't exactly the fondest of moments stored in Genma's memory, but it happened, and neither of them could change that. He wasn't prepared to continuously tiptoe around the subject - or Iruka for that matter, especially when Iruka was the one dating Genma's close friend. He wanted this troublesome atmosphere nipped in the bud, and so, once closing the door behind him, he turned to Iruka and gave the chuunin his usual warm smirk of affection around his senbon and a flirty gleam in his eye he often used when talking his way out of a soiled mission report.

"Good evening, Iruka-sensei," he greeted in a playful voice, purposely modifying his behaviour to one he always used around the chuunin.

It took a lot of courage to look Genma in the eye, now that the reality of what had happened had sunk in over the days. He felt so small standing in front of his superiors, wearing a dark, navy sweater every shinobi wore under their vest that disguised the phony he really was. But now they knew his secret, they could see past his disguise and could see the shame he brought to his rank. But when he saw that wide smirk curl on Genma's lips, the warmth flaring in his eyes, and that typical flirtatious tone Iruka would usually roll his eyes at, a sudden weight vanished inside of him, and his heart tore in two.

He smiled faintly, lowering his head in a small, respectful bow towards - not his superior - but a comrade who was offering him real friendship; something he had never felt before with Izumo and Kotetsu where he was merely Mizuki's accessory, there to be put up with.

"Good evening," he said softly, stealing a small glance of Raidou and back to Genma. "Would you like some tea?"

At his question, the two special jounin blinked in surprise, having not expected the chuunin to lower his guard so easily around them. Deciding not to pass up on such an opportunity to put the past behind them, Raidou grinned in delight at the offering.

"Ah!" he nodded. "You read my mind."

Still smiling, Iruka turned to Kakashi and blinked at the strange crease in the jounin's mask, but it disappeared as quickly as it came; a smile that was perhaps not meant to be noticed.

Returning to his impassive, bored looking gaze, Kakashi spoke up.

"I'll give you a hand," he murmured, heading to the kitchen.

Iruka followed and closed the kitchen door behind him. He took in a sharp breath, preparing himself, before turning to the jounin, ready to hear what had happened. He stared at Kakashi's eye, trying to find a clue on whether it was good or bad news, but as always, the jounin was skilled in concealing his emotions. He frowned in confusion when Kakashi suddenly opened up his pouch at his side, eyes suddenly widening in shock when he then pulled out a thick pile of rolled-up papers and lifted them to the chuunin. Iruka slowly took it, breath caught in his throat as he unrolled the stack and found the picture that had threatened him in so many ways staring back at him.

"That's the lot," Kakashi confirmed in a professional tone, as though he'd just passed on a sacred scroll to the Hokage. "Even the original."

Lips parted in a silent gasp, Iruka's eyes watered slightly as he slowly flicked through the pages, unable to believe that Kakashi had retrieved them, that the blackmail had been put to an end - that his career had been saved. He glanced at Kakashi and saw that soft smile crinkle in the jounin's eye, as though confirming that it really was over. Letting out a shaky breath, Iruka inched closer to the jounin, and Kakashi's eye widened comically when he was suddenly yanked into an extremely tight embrace.

"Thank you so much!" Iruka cried out, burying his face into the neck of a twitching Kakashi.

"Aheheh…" Kakashi chuckled weakly, trying to save himself some oxygen. "You're welcome."

"I promise you," Iruka mumbled urgently into his shoulder, his voice dripping in relief. "I'll pay you back for this! Whatever you want!"

Kakashi smiled, snaking a hesitant arm around the man's waist. Iruka didn't move, instead, clung to him as though he were the man's oxygen source. It was awkward at first – not knowing where to look, which leg to put his weight on, or where to put his fidgeting hand. It was a strange feeling, having his limbs restricted like this, open to any form of attack, but he soon found himself relaxing, focused on the new warmth against his chest. He could feel Iruka's fingers sinking into his clothes, clutching to the material tightly as Junko had done when *SPOILERS* her shy, affectionate virgin lover announced he was leaving their hometown for good.

He loosened his hold when Iruka lifted his head to meet his eye, a rare smile forming on his lips that Kakashi truly wanted to see more of.

"I really mean it," Iruka whispered. "Thank you, for everything… You stood by me this entire time, and I'm so sorry I shouted at you earlier," He winced painfully. "I just-"

"You were tired," Kakashi cut him off with a light shrug and smile, releasing the man from the embrace. "And stressed, I understand. But we've got the photographs back now, and I'll take care of Mizuki too. I promise."

Iruka swallowed, glancing at the jounin under damp lashes. "What are you going to do?"

Kakashi quickly arranged a lie. "I'm not sure yet, but I will sort it, I promise." He frowned in thought, figuring now was the best time to throw in his bombshell. "But first, I have a mission."

Iruka looked down in dread, having expected another mission to be assigned soon but not entirely prepared for it. "Will you lock the doors?" he quietly mumbled his request.

"Of course. It's only for a couple of hours though," Kakashi explained and bit his lip awkwardly. "But I've asked Genma and Raidou to stay with you until I return."

"What?"

Iruka's eyes widened, horrified. "Why?" he whined, another piece of his dignity crumbling yet again. He lowered his head with a small sigh. They may as well just get it over with and strip him of his headband, he begrudgingly thought.

"Because I'm pretty sure Mizuki was behind the photograph plan in the first place," Kakashi reasoned. "As soon as he finds out we've got them back, he's going to be extremely pissed off and will more than likely try to get revenge. Now, I'm not sure how skilled he is at deactivating traps, but I'm convinced he'd be willing to play dirty to enhance his own skills if he ever found the chance, so I'm not going to underestimate him."

Meaning, Mizuki may be more skilled than the village was aware of through trickery Kakashi knew he was capable of and was not prepared to take any chances. They needed to keep thinking one step ahead, anticipating every possible move Mizuki could make to try and win this 'fight.'

He sighed at Iruka's gloomy gaze and lifted the man's chin with his hand to make him look in his eye. He gave Iruka a stern look, determined to put this worrying to an end.

"Iruka! They're not babysitting you; they're looking out for their friend," he sighed deeply, raising a pleading brow. "Will you please stop worrying about what they think? If they really thought you were a 'disgrace,' believe me, they _would-not-be-here_."

Iruka looked away and nodded faintly.

"The only reason you think they believe that is because Mizuki said they would, and anything Mizuki ever says is virtually bullshit anyway."

Kakashi's scolding tone vanished, and he smirked playfully, trying to chase away a bad atmosphere. "Agreed?"

Iruka slowly turned his gaze back to the jounin, a small, amused smirk forming on his lips. "Agreed."

"So," Kakashi smiled and raised a silver brow, delighted that Iruka was beginning to believe him – about time, too. "How about that tea for our guests?"

Iruka nodded. "Do you want one?"

"I better not, I have to leave in a minute," Kakashi's eye snapped to the door. "I better go and make sure they're still alive,"

Iruka chuckled. "Alright, I'll be there in a minute."

x—

Kakashi quickly equipped his pouch and slipped on his flak jacket.

"I shouldn't be too long," he announced, turning to Iruka, who was sitting in the chair by the fire. "I'll bring some food home."

Iruka blinked and nodded, having completely forgotten about dinner. Turning to Genma and Raidou on the sofa, Kakashi offered his friends a small nod of respect.

"I really appreciate your help. We'll talk later when I get back." He gave them a long, odd gaze, a signal that didn't go unnoticed by Iruka.

The chuunin stole a glance of Genma and Raidou, trying to understand what Kakashi meant by that, though the subtle tone in Kakashi's voice gave him the feeling it was something he was not supposed to know. No amount of persuasion could convince him that it had nothing do with Mizuki; Kakashi had promised him numerous times that he planned to take care of his ex-lover, and Iruka had since learned that Genma and Raidou were close to Kakashi – he obviously trusted them, proven by the support the two special jounin had offered over the past couple of days. If Kakashi was to turn to someone for help with a personal problem, surely it would be Genma and Raidou he would turn to.

He was flattered and truly grateful for the support Genma and Raidou had showed, but while he knew he was being helped, he was almost certain there was more to it. He wanted to know what it was, if only for some reassurance that the situation really was going to be resolved. Did they have something planned for Mizuki?

"I'll see you later."

Kakashi's voice snapped him from his thoughts. He glanced at the jounin and smiled.

"Good luck."

Kakashi nodded, eyeing the chuunin for a moment with a contemplating look. Iruka's face dropped in a blank stare when the jounin suddenly approached and crouched down before him. A pale hand lightly took his jaw, thumb caressing his cheek, before he leaned in. A warm, gentle kiss was placed upon Iruka's lips behind the copy ninja's mask, leaving the chuunin frozen in his seat. He soon snapped back into reality and closed his eyes in contentment. He'd almost forgotten what it felt like to be kissed and caressed like that, and while it filled him with joy, his heart sank at the realization that it was not real.

Kakashi broke the kiss as quickly as he had given it, pale thumb still lightly stroking his cheek as he gazed into Iruka's brown eyes with a soft smile, an expression that looked so genuine, reminding Iruka of how well skilled Kakashi was at manipulating his own facial expressions to an illusion each mission required.

Then, Kakashi quietly said something, though loud enough to ensure their audience heard it; "Love you, Ruu."

Iruka nearly choked on his own saliva, distantly wishing his brain had come fully equipped with a pause button so he could arrange his muddled thoughts to calm down and play along. But Kakashi then stood up, gave his friends one last glance, before flatly muttering out 'see ya' and vanishing before their eyes.

Naturally, their eyes turned to Iruka, who shrank back in his chair and awkwardly looked away. He guessed Kakashi didn't want them knowing the truth about their 'relationship' for the sake of keeping things simple as possible; an assumption that made things even more uncomfortable when Raidou asked a question that Iruka had foolishly not seen coming.

"So… how long have you two actually been together?"

_Oh God…_

Iruka's attention seemed taken by the fireplace bricks which had suddenly become extremely fascinating. He didn't know what to say, having not decided on a story with Kakashi on what to tell their 'audience.' Buying himself some time to think, he glanced at Raidou with a faux startled look.

"Pardon?"

Raidou blinked, bewildered, and opened his mouth to repeat himself, but a grinning Genma interrupted.

"Was it a 'fling'?" he asked with a devious leer, leaning to the edge of his seat in interest. "It was, wasn't it? Is that why you've gone all red?"

"Genma," Raidou coughed out a warning, shooting his lover a glare.

On the contrary, Iruka was panicking for an answer. He had almost forgotten the reason why they had an audience in the first place, as the situation had progressed with so many other complications. Shame quickly found him again, remembering the rumour that he had cheated on Mizuki with Kakashi, and he could understand why it was believed to have originally been an 'affair,' especially now that they were 'together' after the 'discovery.' Admittedly, he had only himself to blame for that.

"N-No…" he stammered out when too much time had passed. "Um…"

Still smirking, Genma held up his hands in a surrendering manner.

"Hey, no one's pointing the finger here. Mizuki got what he deserved, and well, so did Kakashi," the senbon user smiled. "He seems really happy."

Iruka inwardly sighed, _I wish…_

x—

Kakashi had been sitting on the stony steps outside the Nara territory for the past half hour or so, guarding the sealed iron-plated door that stood a few feet behind him. The stone building was relatively old, passed down from generations throughout the Nara clan, and now belonging to Shikaku. It was, in fact a long tunnel that had been deliberately hidden underground, constructed with various compartments intended to delay the enemy's searching - if they managed to get past its guard. Inside one of those compartments was where the contents of the traditional Nara jutsu secrets were stored, a perfect hiding place that almost every valuable clan was granted somewhere in the village by the Hokage.

Kakashi had only been inside there twice, specifically for the purpose of knowing exactly what he was guarding when he had first accepted Shikaku's request in the past. He needed to have familiarity of the building and know which exact compartment needed his prioritized attention lest an intruder were to break into it. Therefore, anyone who was given such an opportunity to guard one of these buildings were clearly valued by the entire clan as a trusted, reliable, and true comrade - an honour that, in all honesty, meant a lot more to Kakashi then he really let on.

The wind blew softly through the air. The area was empty and quiet, save for the few civilians passing by in the distance. He turned the page of his blue book, letting the hours pass by swiftly, however his guard was constantly high.

By now, he was relieved that he had asked Genma and Raidou to stay with Iruka, knowing that he would not have been able to relax and put aside his personal concerns and ensure his duty here was his main priority. He had underestimated Mizuki before and was not going to let it happen again, and so, he was now satisfied that the chances of Mizuki getting to Iruka were virtually impossible.

Whatever had possessed him to become so protective of Iruka was astonishingly strong, but he knew he shouldn't encourage his protective manner so much; he wanted to see more confidence in Iruka and help the chuunin realise that he really was suited for his rank and so much stronger than he believed himself to be. Now that Kakashi understood how Mizuki worked, he realised that it was Mizuki who had purposely shaped Iruka into the state of mind he was in, succeeded in the power game, used the advantage of 'love' to justify his abusive actions, and turn the blame. He knew how to make Iruka feel afraid, guilty, worthless, or any other emotion that most contributed to what he was trying to achieve. It was pure and simple control, most likely – in Kakashi's opinion – to ensure Iruka believed that he could not function or even survive without Mizuki.

Despite his hatred for Mizuki, for every piece of damage the chuunin had made for Iruka, Kakashi was convinced there was something to it. There had to be a reason behind it, why Mizuki felt the need to control Iruka like that, to manipulate Izumo and Kotetsu, to always be in control. And the only explanation Kakashi could honestly find was loneliness or the fear of it. If that was the case, Kakashi guessed Mizuki had behaved this way for the majority of his life, which was why he was so skilled at it. If he could play with their emotions, he could make them feel sorry for him, make them fear leaving him, or simply convince them that he really was worth keeping around.

It was like an insecurity that had gotten out of hand; it was quite sad really, to think that one had resorted to such acts to avoid lonesome, long hours, left to nothing but withered thoughts and memories. However, Kakashi was not willing to excuse every vile beating and cruel punishment Iruka had suffered for the sake of Mizuki's lonely childhood. He had more than enough opportunities to reassess his life and make amends. He had gotten away with too much and was still trying to force Iruka back into his control; he was not sorry for any damage he had done and deserved exactly what was coming to him.

Foot steps crunched into the small stones on the ground, immediately catching Kakashi's attention as he turned his gaze from his book and into the distance. His eye widened momentarily at the sight of a shadowed figure approaching with a light stagger in their walk. Closing his book, Kakashi stood up and walked down the steps to the level ground, his eye squinting to take a better look.

As the shadowed figure came closer, Kakashi saw a faint outline of hair that dangled just above the shoulders, locks swaying slightly with every step they took. At this realisation, Kakashi struggled to decide exactly who was approaching him, having known more than enough comrades who kept their hair at that reasonably short length to avoid it becoming a nuisance in battle. However, taking into account exactly what it was Kakashi was guarding, the jounin dismissed his hesitancy and swiftly palmed a kunai.

Taking a small step away from the stony steps to allow himself just enough room to move, he spoke out to the other in a calm but firm voice.

"Name." It wasn't a question, but an order.

The figure didn't stop but slowly began to emerge from the shadows.

"K-kashi…"

Kakashi's heart skipped a beat, leaving him frozen in shock for a moment as his name was called out in a very raspy, familiar voice, one he recognized well, but the urgency in it was startling.

"Genma?" he blinked, the blade of his kunai twitching against his hand in hesitation.

Finally, the senbon-user revealed himself in the dimly lit pathway, red, bloodshot eyes piercing into Kakashi's, with thick tears streaking down his face. Kakashi swallowed hard; fixated by the strange state he'd never seen his friend in before, an eerie sight to see. However, he did not move, trained to obey every instinct that burned his nerves in urgency.

"S-something's happened to R-Raidou…" his friend stuttered out and slowly lifted his hands to Kakashi, the jounin's chest tightening at the sight of blood that soaked from Genma's fingertips to wrists.

Someone was playing with him. This portrayal was too out of character for the friend Kakashi knew. Genma knew better than to let his emotions betray him like this, no matter how severe the situation was. Aware that Genma and Raidou were with Iruka, he could not believe for a minute that if something had happened to Raidou. Genma would never even consider abandoning Iruka, no matter what state he was in. Keeping himself composed, Kakashi stole another subtle glance of the man's wrist, searching for a scar that would shine against the street lamp if it was there; one that Kakashi knew was supposed to be there because he was the one who had made the wound during a past training session.

When he saw no scar, the jounin woke to his senses and, taking a large step back, slapped his gloved hands together to form a familiar sign.

"Kai," he muttered, and the image washed away before his eye. However, his relief was interrupted by a sharp whistling noise that shot his way, and he glanced up to see a collection of long senbons flying through the air, sharp tips precisely aimed at the side of his neck. The sudden, abrupt arrival told him the senbon had been thrown before or just as he'd released the genjutsu, giving him limited time to do anything but simply jump back.

A collection of clanks echoed around the area as the needles hit the floor. Kakashi immediately turned his attention to the direction they had come from, assuming that he was under attack, and the attacker was somewhere in the trees.

He became immediately aware that he was at a complete disadvantage, having no option of moving too far from the door he was guarding. The question that followed after that thought was the motive of whoever was hiding in those trees; were they attacking him for access, or was this a personal matter?

As though on cue, another set of weaponry was aimed his way, but this time, the noise came from his right, the opposite direction of the first set. Kakashi watched as the metal spun through the air with a sharp whistle, and, focusing carefully on the precise angles of the items, he dropped his kunai into his pouch and lifted up his hands, merely snatching the sharp items from their path.

A light rustle in the leaves at his left caught his attention, and he turned to see another shadowed outline in the distance, about thirty feet away. Thinking on his feet, Kakashi swiftly threw the offending senbon towards it, already tiring of this long-distance position and wanting to draw them closer to him. The senbon flew through the air faster than his eye could follow it, and when the shadowed figure in the distance burst into a cloud of smoke, he realised he'd been tricked by a shadow clone.

They were toying with him.

Becoming irritated, Kakashi lifted his headband to reveal his sharingan, wanting to know their positions and exactly how many there were.

In the dark distance, he could see the faint flow of chakra; one at his left and the other at his right; both crouched upon thick branches, watching him. By now, Kakashi was convinced this was a personal matter, largely due to the fact that his closest comrade had been used against him in the genjutsu; only one who knew of the copy ninja's friends was aware of this, and the only conclusion that came after that thought was that it had to be someone within the village. Kakashi stared at the figure to his left with tight, mismatched eyes, a theory building in his mind that surely could not be true. Surely, they were not this stupid…

He took a few strides from the stone steps again and stopped. Gazing at the blue, flickering glow of chakra his sharingan picked up, he decided to call out to the other.

"Maa, are you going to sit there all night?"

It was as though they had predicted him to say such a thing; as soon as he finished speaking, they moved from their position in an extremely fast pace – towards him. Kakashi looked from left to right, measuring the distance from each to decide on which one to confront first. He arranged his chakra, small sparks of lightening sizzling from his palm, warming up his raikiri. They came closer, running at him and closing the distance between them. Kakashi moved, running towards the closest attacker at his left, though his attention was constantly on the building behind him, extremely careful not to go too far out. Underneath the moonlight, he saw the light reflect against the other's weapon, presumably a long kunai of some sort.

The attacker finally came under the moonlight, dressed in a traditional Leaf uniform, only without the flak jacket. A pair of dark eyes snapped up at him, brows knitted deeply in a determined glare. Kakashi's mismatched eyes widened in shock, having considered but not expected to see the face that was staring back at him – perhaps still clinging to the hope that there was still some decency left in the chuunin.

"Izumo…?"

Before either of them could react, a loud explosion suddenly erupted behind Kakashi, startling the jounin as he flinched and turned to face the building he was guarding, raikiri instantly vanishing. A huge cloud of brown smoke expanded around the stony steps, alerting Kakashi to his senses as he identified the colour as one that came from a smoke bomb; specifically used to lure an opponent to sleep. However, it was clearly not intended for that use right now. They were trying to lure him away from the building, but why?

Kakashi's blood turned cold as ice when he gazed up at the roof of the building where Mizuki was standing, the chuunin's cold, green eyes piercing tightly into the jounin. The bastard had managed to get past him, unless he had done so while he was under the genjutsu?

As the brown smoke lifted into the air, Mizuki leaped down from the roof, accompanying the other attacker, Kotetsu, away from the sleeping gas. He stopped in his tracks and lifted his eyes to Kakashi again, demonstrating a look that sent a shiver down Kakashi's spine. His eyes looked different from usual; more intense, aggressive, sinister – Mizuki clearly had enough of him.


End file.
